How long to grill filet mignon is a question that many people ask
The answer, of course, depends on the thickness of the steak and how well you want it cooked. Let’s discuss the right amount of time to grill filet mignon so that you get maximum flavor and tenderness. We’ll also give you a few tips on how to make sure your steaks come out perfectly every time!
How long do you grill filet mignon on each side?
How long you grill each side of your filet will depend on the thickness of your steak.
A good rule of thumb is to grill filet mignon for two-three minutes per side over medium-high heat.
If you like your steak rare, you may want to grill it for less time. If you prefer it more well-done, you’ll need to grill it for a few minutes longer.
One of the best ways to eliminate the guesswork with any type of grilling is to use a meat thermometer. A meat thermometer can really help hone in your desired doneness. Below is the internal temperature standard for each level of doneness.
- Rare 125F
- Medium rare 135 F
- Medium 145F
- Medium Well 150F
- Well Done 160F
If you’re new to grilling or eating steaks we would start at a medium internal temperature.
A filet mignon cooked medium, should have an internal temperature of 140 F -145 F. Generally we suggest removing your steaks from the grill at 137 F and then letting the steaks sit for a few minutes before serving.
This gives the filet steaks more time to cook when off heat, and really locks in those juices.
At this temperature, you will get a nice tender and juicy steak that has a pink color throughout, that most people are looking for.
Methods to tell if my steak is done
Below you will find a few different methods to tell if your filet mignon is cooked properly.
The three main methods we will cover today are as follows:
- The finger test
- Meat thermometer
- Cut into your steak
Each has its pros and cons and we will cover the highlights and let you decide! As cooking is all about experimenting!
The Finger Test
The finger test is a comparison tool you can use when grilling filet mignon or any steak for that matter. This method is used by most professional chefs, as most chefs tend to stay away from meat thermometers as they tend to poke holes in your steak.
So, follow the quick guide below to find the best way to cook filet mignon without a meat thermometer, and you’ll be a Grillmaster in no time!
Open the palm of your non-dominate hand. Relax your hand and then take the index finger of your other hand and push on the meaty area between the thumb and the base of the palm. This is what raw steak feels like.
Press the tip of your pinky and thumb together. Again feel the meaty area below your thumb. It should feel quite hard. This is what well-done meat feels like when you press on it.
Press the tip of your ring finger and your thumb together. The part of your hand beneath your thumb should give a little more. This is what filet mignon cooked to a medium internal temperature feels like.
Now, press the tip of your middle finger to the tip of your thumb. This is medium-rare.
When testing this method on the grill, it should be noted that you should be checking your non-dominant hand and then comparing the feel on the filet mignon with your cooking utensils preferably tongs.
The goal is to match the consistency of hand vs steak for the desired doneness. This technique takes some trial and error but once you master it your filet mignon will be cooked perfectly!
You should now be an expert on perfecting your internal temperature with the finger method. Hopefully, this method will have you cooking like a pro and guarantee you a nice juicy steak!
Meat Thermometer
Another method to check your filet mignon’s internal temperature is to use a meat thermometer. There are many different types of meat thermometers but the goal of them is to take the guesswork out of grilled filet mignon.
Simply insert your thermometer and let it come up to temperature and compare the reading with the guide above and voila a perfectly cooked steak!
It should be noted that most professional chefs don’t use a meat thermometer as they believe when you poke a hole in the steak it releases the juices.
That might be true, but we tend to think the loss in juice is minimal compared to how perfectly you can cook your filet mignon when using a thermometer.
The technology has really gotten advanced in terms of meat thermometers, we can personally recommend this meat thermometer. You leave the probe in the meat while it sits on the grill, it connects to your phone via wifi and the app has every cut of meat you could imagine.
Meat thermometers tend to work especially well for larger cuts of meat such as beef tenderloin. It really takes the guesswork out of the steak’s internal temperature and guarantee’s you a nice juicy steak! We use a thermometer 95% of the time when grilling steaks on the grill, and we consider it one of our favorite tools when cooking!
Cutting Into Your Steak
The last method we’ll cover today is really just the ole eye test.
If you are really unsure what temperature your steak is while on the grill, take a knife and cut into a piece of it.
If the steak still looks blood-red it needs more time on the grill, simple as that.
Ideally, you don’t want to be cutting into someone’s steak before they eat it but everyone’s done it before!
What happens if my steak is too rare
If you did not cook your filet long enough, it will be undercooked, which is not ideal, but it happens.
If you take your steak off the grill and cut into it and it’s still blood-red and looks undercooked go ahead and throw it back on the grill.
You should be able to quickly bring your steaks up to a more ideal internal temperature. They shouldn’t need more than a minute on each side as long as the grill is still hot. This isn’t necessarily a best practice when cooking filet mignon but isn’t a big deal either!
Even the most skillful grillers can undercook their meat from time to time so don’t fret!
What happens if I leave my filet on the grill too long?
On the flip side, there’s not much you can do for an overcooked filet mignon.
When in doubt take your steaks off earlier rather than later and cut into one of them, you should be able to tell just by looking if the internal temperature is to your liking.
If you’re past the point of no return and the steaks are way overcooked, it’s time to call Domino’s. Sometimes there’s not enough steak sauce in the world to cover a burnt steak.
Happens to the best of us, it’s really important to monitor your steak while on the grill.
Base your cook time on how many inches thick your steak is. The thicker the steak the longer cook time required.
Flare-ups, direct heat vs convection, how much oil your recipe calls for are all things to monitor while grilling filet mignon. Any slight mix-up in any one of those factors can cause your filet mignon to go from a medium-rare masterpiece to a hockey puck!
We know this won’t happen to you but if it does consistently we recommend a meat thermometer.
Some key things to remember about how long to grill your filet mignon
Make sure your steak is at room temperature before grilling
Number one make sure your steak is not frozen before grilling.
Throwing a frozen steak on the grill will almost guarantee an undercooked and frozen center. If your meat is frozen ensure plenty of time for it to defrost before cooking.
Ideally, you want the filets as close to room temperature as possible before grilling. This is also a good time to insert any thermometers or probes.
Make sure your grill is properly heated before throwing the filets on
Placing a filet cut on a cold grill is a no-no!
You want to ensure that the grill is at least 400 degrees before throwing your filets on or you’ll risk an extended cooking time.
Anything under 400 is going to really blow up your cook time and risk the tenderness of the filets.
Different ways to cook filet mignon steaks on a gas grill
Now, that we’ve coved all the ways on how to tell if your filet mignon is cooked to a correct internal temperature. Let’s discuss how we get there, with a few grilling methods on different ways to grill the perfect filet mignon!
Reverse sear:
The reverse sear is a more advanced method of grilling but should be fairly simple for an experienced griller.
A reverse sear will give your filet mignon a nice crisp outside and juicy inside. We would recommend this grilling method if you like your steaks on the rarer side (medium rare and under).
In the reverse sear method, you want to be careful in how you heat your grill. You will need at least one burner on high heat for the sear.
First, you want to preheat your gas grill to 450 degrees. Then place the steaks on the grill, you want to start the steaks on low to medium heat and close the lid.
With the goal to slowly raise the internal temperature of the steak. Once again we cannot recommend a meat thermometer enough, it really ensures your desired doneness.
1-2 minutes each side depending on thickness and how you like your filet cooked, then you’re ready for the sear.
Place the steaks on direct heat (the hottest part of the grill) for about 30 seconds each side. That sear really locks in the juices on the filet. Once seared take your filet off and let it sit for about 5 minutes. We usually wrap them in aluminum foil so they stay warm.
After the meat has had a few minutes to rest, it’s time to eat!
Charcoal grilled filet mignon
Grilling filet mignon steaks on a charcoal grill can add great flavor over a gas grill. There isn’t a huge difference in perpetration and grilling methods when comparing a gas vs charcoal grill.
The main difference being the charcoal, when grilling filet mignon on a charcoal grill you really want to get those coals white hot before putting the filet’s on the grill. Charcoal also gives you a greater ability to add any smoky flavor you desire with your filets via wood chips.
Filet Mignon on a gas grill
Cooking filet mignon on a gas grill is a staple of the grilling community. This is arguably the best way to cook a steak and perhaps one of the easiest. We’ve covered a majority of the steps above, a few simple things to remember when preparing to grill your filets.
- Ensure your grill is clean
- Ensure your grill is nice and hot
- Cook time can vary depending on how hot your grill gets
- The thicker the steak the longer the cook time, anything over 2 inches thick you will need to add grill time
- Let your steak rest for 5 after taking it off the grill
- Then enjoy..
Steak Recipes and Seasonings
So far we’ve walked you through every step of cooking filet mignon, from the finished product to the starting phases. So we’re going to end this article with one of the very first steps and arguably one of the most important aspects of cooking a steak. The preparation.
They’re hundreds if not thousands of ways to season your filet mignon steaks. We are not here to tell you which is the best recipe but can provide tried and true recipes for grilling any cut of beef.
Olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper
The HoF of any meat seasoning, when you have a really nice quality cut of beef you really don’t want to diminish the natural flavor of the beef with all these rubs and seasonings.
Don’t get us wrong, a grilled filet mignon recipe that calls for rubs is absolutely delicious but sometimes just salt and pepper can do the trick. It all comes down to preference.
Whenever seasoning any type of red meat you should really take the meat out of the fridge 20 minutes beforehand and let the meat get to room temperature.
Lightly rub olive oil on each side of the steak, really just a tiny amount. Then add kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to each side of the steak. You want to press in any seasoning on the steak so it stays on during the grilling phase. And boom your done, ready to start grilling.
We hoped you enjoyed this comprehensive guide on how long to cook filet mignon.
Happy grilling!