Filet mignon is the most tender, decadent steak cut that is perfect for
When it comes to a date night in, it’s nice to have most of the work done but still have a little fun and interaction together in the kitchen. After all, that’s what makes a dinner date night at home different from going out.
The sous vide method makes guaranteed perfection a reality and does most of the work for you ahead of time. And for another steak date night, try Steak au Poivre.
The Date Night Prep Ahead
The beef filets can be vacuum-sealed ahead of time so they are ready to go right in the sous vide water bath. You can prep the steak right along with some chocolate-covered strawberries and some sous vide cheesecake or creme brulee.
You can even sous vide the filets ahead of time, chill them in the bag, and then re-warm them in a water bath at 110 degrees for about an hour before searing. Since the steaks only take an hour to cook, it sort of defeats the purpose. It makes more sense to pre-cook when it’s a piece of meat that takes a
For the Béarnaise Sauce, you can totally make it ahead of time and reheat it slowly in a double boiler while the steaks finish. It’s not a sauce that takes
Check out my full post on how to sous vide any steak.
Sides that go Great with Filet Mignon
- Crispy Brussels Sprouts
- Cast Iron Skillet Marble Potatoes
- Sous Vide Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic and Herbs
- Perfect Green Beans
- Sous Vide Carrots
More Delicious Sous Vide Recipes
Be sure to check out all the sous vide recipes.
Sous Vide Filet Mignon
Ingredients
- 2 filet mignon steaks
- kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
- fresh thyme sprigs
- canola oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
Béarnaise Sauce
- 1/8 cup champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1/8 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoons chopped shallots
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/4 pound 1 stick unsalted butter, melted just before using
Instructions
To Cook the Steaks
- Heat the water according to your sous vide machine’s instructions to 130° F / 54.4° C for medium-rare steaks, or to the desired finished temperature.
- Season the filets liberally on all sides with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Place a thyme sprig on each side of the filets, then place it in a vacuum seal bag or ziplock bag.
- Vacuum seal the bag if using a vacuum sealer, or if using a ziplock bag; partially seal it removing as much air as possible, then place it in the water to push the rest of the air out before sealing.
- Sous vide the filets for 1 hour at 130° F.
- Remove from the water and rest for 10 minutes in the bag.
- Remove from the bags and dry with paper towels. Season with a little more kosher salt.
- Sear the steaks for about 30 to 45 seconds on each side in a very hot skillet with enough canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add a few tablespoons of butter and the thyme sprigs to the skillet and continually baste the steaks while the sear.
- Serve immediately with the Béarnaise Sauce.
To make the Béarnaise Sauce
- Place the vinegar, wine, chopped shallots, half of the tarragon, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt and some pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce the liquid to just a few tablespoons. Cool slightly.
- Place the cooled liquid with the egg yolks and 1 teaspoon salt in blender or hand blender container and blend for 30 seconds.
- Slowly drizzle in the hot butter while the blender is on to create an emulsion. Add the rest of the chopped tarragon and pulse a few times.
- With blender on, slowly pour the hot butter through the opening in the lid. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of tarragon leaves and blend only for a second.
- Keep the sauce warm (but not hot) before serving.
Notes
- If the béarnaise sauce is too thick, you can blend in a little white wine to thin.
- The sauce can be made ahead and reheated over a double boiler.