Filet Mignon

The husband turned 30 last week, which bummed him out a bit. Knowing he wasn't too excited about entering a new decade (a horror I don't have to face for another year and a half, thank God), I wanted to make this birthday amazing.

He requested steak for dinner, so I headed out to Henry's and asked the butcher for their best cut of meat. They had some preimo-quality filet mignon on sale, which the butcher and his assistant *highly* recommended, so of course, I picked a few up. I asked the butcher for a few cooking tips, since I'd never cooked a filet before, and I have to say these steaks were amazing! Melt in your mouth tender, flavorful, and perfectly done. This coming from a woman who is not really a big fan of steak. But I was so glad I was able to make a delicious steak and make the husband happy on his birthday.

Before he came home, I also stopped by Target and picked up some birthday decorations (no over the hills banners here!) and was surprised to find the 49'ers Jerry Rice jersey I bought as a gift in our mail box--I wasn't expecting that to arrive for several more days. Perfect timing!

But I digress...steak...next time you have a special occasion to celebrate, go pick up some premium filet mignon, and grill 'em up.

Filet Mignon
Source: Advice of the butcher at my market
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
filet mignon
sprinkle salt
a heavy shake of pepper

Directions
Remove filets from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking. Wipe them off with a paper towel to remove any extra moisture--this will help get a nice sear on the outside.

Sprinkle one side of each filet with a bit of salt and a heavy shake of pepper. Let sit.

Heat a charcoal grill to high heat, with the charcoal heaped in the middle. You will be cooking these both direct and indirect.

Once the grill is hot, place the filets directly over the heat and cover. Cook for 3 minutes. Using tongs, gently turn the meat over. Cook for another minute or 2, then move to indirect heat until finished cooking. Rare (135 degrees) or medium (140 degrees) is best, as this is a lean cut of meat.

Remove from the heat, cover with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes, so the meat can reabsorb the juices.

Plate and pour any juices from the plate over the filets.

Enjoy! And Happy Birthday, Husband!!!