Perfectly Grilled Filet Mignon Every Time!

My technique for an unforgettable filet:

Filet Mignon is a lean steak that is a very tender cut and therefore highly sought-after. Unfortunately, the filet comes from the tenderloin of the cow, which is up way high in the stomach, and not a muscle that’s used heavily like in other cuts of beef, causing it to be a bit bland in taste.

However, we fix all of this up with science, and more particularly, salt! Due to salt’s ability to alter the chemical structure of proteins by breaking some of the bonds that give proteins their shape, it dissolves muscle protein, causing it to form a matrix that traps water. Along with that water, other flavourings in brines also penetrate the meat, accentuating its flavour. By smothering the meat with brines that have a higher concentration of salt than the steak itself (meat already has salt in it) – the salt absorbs into the meat, along with all of the delicious flavours. Everything is now trapped inside the meat, included all the extra moisture and flavour, and the final cooked steak is juicier and more flavourful throughout and after the cooking process.

So, my filet mignon cooking technique includes smothering uncooked steaks with your favourite barbeque sauce and kosher salt (or your favourite steak spice instead of salt, Montreal Steak Spice in my case) for 45-60 minutes prior to cooking. This becomes a cross between a traditional brine and a dry brine. Extremely simple process that doesn’t make a mess or require too much work, but results in the most flavourful and juicy steak. In addition, typically before cooking, the protein surfaces need to be dried with the paper towels, to ensure they get a good sear during cooking. In this recipe, we skip this step! No drying the exterior of the meat prior to grilling the steaks, as some of the sear comes from the sugars in the BBQ sauce, while keeping the steak moisturized. Hope you give this technique a try!