Filet mignon is a tender steak. A well-cooked filet mignon will make you close your eyes in rapture, savoring the amazing flavor and it is many people's favorite cut of meat. This boneless steak comes from the tenderloin of a cow and it is usually cut into one or two inch thick portions. This is not a cheap cut of steak so you will not want to ruin it by overcooking it or cooking it wrong! That is why learning how to pan fry filet mignon is so important.

Frying Pan

At times, it is nice to enjoy a southern fried chicken recipe but if you are celebrating a special occasion or you want to impress your loved one with something elegant, you cannot go wrong with a classic filet mignon.

Frying Pan

Sometimes this cut of meat is wrapped in bacon because it is relatively lean. The fat from the bacon is a good substitute for the missing fat. If you do not want to use bacon, get pink steaks instead of red ones. The lighter the color, the more marbling (and therefore fat) the steak contains.

Filet mignon is not difficult to cook but you do need to use a high heat, whether you roast, pan fry, grill, or broil it. Because of the low fat levels, this cut of meat is prone to drying out if you overcook it so do not cook it for too long. As long as you keep these two tips in mind - a high heat and a short cooking time - your meat should come out perfect, whichever recipe you follow.

Recipe for Pan Fried Filet Mignon with a Red Wine Sauce

This recipe is suitable for cooking novices who want to impress people with a classic dish. It is easy to make and making the dish in a pan means you can keep an eye on it all the time.

Serve this recipe with French fries and glazed carrots. Some romaine salad on the side with a blue cheese dressing is also a nice side dish for this. This recipe serves four people.

What you will need:

4 filet mignon steaks, 4 oz each 4 tablespoons (half a stick) chilled butter 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon capers 1/3 cup chopped shallots 2/3 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or similar red wine

How to make it:

Melt a tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over a moderately high heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the meat, then pan fry them. The steaks will need about four minutes per side for medium.

Put each one on a plate covered loosely with aluminum foil. Melt another tablespoon of butter in the skillet and saute the shallots for a minute. Add the capers, mustard and wine and simmer the sauce for two minutes or until it thickens a bit.

Stir in the parsley and turn the heat down to moderately low. Whisk in the rest of the butter, and then add salt and pepper to the sauce to season it. Spoon it over the meat and serve.