What exactly makes a filet mignon different from a tenderloin? And what is it that makes it so tender, anyway? We asked a panel of culinary experts which cut you should choose next time you're craving some high-quality beef.
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00:00What exactly makes a filet mignon different from a tenderloin? And what is it that makes
00:04it so tender, anyway? We asked a panel of culinary experts which cut you should choose
00:08next time you're craving some high-quality beef.
00:11Beef tenderloin is a long, narrow muscle from the loin primal, which is also home to other
00:15beloved steakhouse cuts like New York Strip, T-Bone, and Porterhouse. Both T-Bone and Porterhouse
00:21have a bit of tenderloin on them, famously held together with its signature bone. Given
00:25the location of this muscle on the steer, just along the backbone and under the ribs,
00:29it should come as no surprise that it's so tender.
00:32According to Aki Suzuki, general manager of American Cut in New York City, beef tenderloin
00:37is a long, cylindrical cut of meat that runs along both sides of the spine. The non-weight-bearing
00:42muscles here barely do any work while the steer is alive, which means that they don't
00:46develop the same amount of connective tissue as a cut from the chest, like brisket. That
00:50lack of connective tissue is what gives this cut its namesake tenderness.
00:55Filet mignon isn't so much a separate cut as it is a section of the tenderloin. As Killian
01:00Gusso, executive chef at Lafayette Steakhouse in Miami, explains,
01:04"[Filet mignon is the most tender and smallest part. The tenderloin is a long cut that's
01:08made up of multiple parts. The chateaubriand can be found in the middle, at the tenderloin's
01:13widest part, while a narrow strip of meat known as the chain sits along the tenderloin.
01:17This portion is best cut into small pieces and stir-fried. Only the thinner, tapered
01:22part at the front end can truly be called filet mignon. It's usually cut into small,
01:27personal-sized steaks, the narrowest of which is often called the tournitos. Don't be fooled
01:31by other cuts masquerading as filet mignon. While any cut of beef without a bone could
01:36technically be called a filet, you won't get the buttery texture of filet mignon anywhere
01:40else on the steer."
01:42"...Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. Surprisingly tender."
01:46"...Tender."
01:47"...See? I knew you'd like it if you gave it a chance."
01:51Seeing as filet mignon is simply a part of the beef tenderloin, it should come as no
01:54surprise that it's significantly smaller. A whole, untrimmed and unpeeled tenderloin
01:59typically weighs between six to seven pounds, which includes about one and a quarter pounds
02:03of fat and silver skin and two pounds of chain meat. The trimmed tenderloin proper usually
02:08weighs only about three pounds, depending on the size of the steer. Of the tenderloin,
02:12the filet mignon is a relative fraction. A filet mignon typically weighs between five
02:17and six ounces, and you can expect to get a total of six to ten pounds of it per steer.
02:22Compared to 12 to 14 pounds of tenderloin, that's quite a bit less filet overall.
02:26Both filet mignon and beef tenderloin are incredibly tender, as the name of the latter
02:31suggests. However, as Aki Suzuki explains, filet mignon, being the smaller end cut of
02:36the tenderloin, is often even more tender.
02:39Matthew Crater, executive chef at Steak 954 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, agrees. In his
02:45words,
02:46"[The filet will have just a slightly softer texture as it works the least in the muscle.
02:50This lack of use is what makes it so tender to eat.]
02:52Unfortunately, taste and texture are often inversely related when it comes to beef. A
02:57more flavorful cut of beef, like brisket or oxtail, is likely to be tougher, whereas tender
03:02cuts like filet mignon and tenderloin tend to be subtler."
03:05Suzuki says of these two cuts,
03:06"[They are both mild in flavor compared to other cuts like ribeye or strip steak. This
03:11holds especially true for filet mignon."
03:13Suzuki notes,
03:14"[Filet mignon might have a slightly milder flavor due to its smaller size and finer muscle
03:19grain.]
03:20Filet mignon's various characteristics also mean that it's notably pricier. Chef Gusso
03:25explains,
03:26"[Filet mignon is generally more expensive than beef tenderloin as a whole because it
03:30is a smaller, more tender and more prized cut.]
03:33Chef Crater agrees. As he puts it,
03:35"[I find filet mignon will typically run a little more on the pricey side compared
03:39to tenderloin. People tend to see it as a much more fancy and desired cut. That said,
03:44this isn't always the case."
03:45At the esteemed butcher shop Lobel's of New York, 10 ounces of filet mignon retails at
03:50just under $100. A bone-in, 14-ounce tenderloin costs around 170 bucks. Depending on your
03:57particular tastes, the tenderloin can be far more expensive.
04:01I used to have kind of a taste for trash, but these days it's all prime rib and filet
04:07mignon and tenderloin."
04:10When sold whole, beef tenderloin is perfect when it's prepared on its own, or placed inside
04:14a pastry as part of a beef wellington. Either option makes for an impressive meal.
04:19If you want to take Chef Crater's advice, he suggests that,
04:22"[If the tenderloin is whole, I would cook it as a roast. It's nice and easy to carve
04:26for groups of people.]
04:27Suzuki feels the same way, stating,
04:29"[For a dinner party or family gathering, roasting a whole tenderloin is fantastic.]
04:33As for how to go about this, he has a few ideas. Suzuki starts by searing the tenderloin
04:38well on all sides, which brings out a lovely caramelized flavor. He then crusts the tenderloin
04:43in herbs like rosemary, thyme, and garlic before roasting it in the oven. The result,
04:48he says, is a flavorful outer layer with a tender, juicy interior that's easy to slice
04:53and serve as is."
04:54A whole roast isn't the only way you can prepare a beef tenderloin. Much like filet mignon,
04:59beef tenderloin can also be cut into steaks, which Suzuki suggests for the perfect intimate
05:04meal. He typically begins by pan searing the filet mignon, or beef tenderloin steaks, in
05:09a hot cast iron skillet with butter, garlic, and herbs. Then, he finishes the steaks in
05:13the oven until they reach the desired doneness. According to Suzuki,
05:17"[This technique provides a nice crust while maintaining tenderness.]
05:20Chef Gusso likes to prepare either cut by pan searing the steaks at a very high temperature
05:25to form a delicious golden crust. Next, he says,
05:28"[I finish it with thyme, garlic, and butter until it reaches the desired internal temperature.]
05:33Chef Crater goes so far as to say he favors the individual steaks over a whole tenderloin,
05:38noting that he prefers a pan sear or grill to a whole roast."
05:41Indeed, direct contact with the heat of a cast iron pan achieves a crispy exterior that
05:47the indirect heat of the oven can rarely match. The result is a beautiful textural
05:51contrast between the crust and the tender meat within.
05:55Grinding filet mignon or beef tenderloin for a hamburger is criminal behavior in the world
05:59of butchery. These cuts, known for their tenderness, lose exactly what makes them so beloved the
06:03moment they go through the grinder. But it's not just the expense that makes filet mignon
06:08and beef tenderloin such bad burger bases. The best burger meat typically boasts a meat-to-fat
06:13ratio of 80-20 or even 70-30. Lean beef tenderloin and filet mignon, with just around 7 grams
06:19of fat per 100 grams, have a ratio of 93-7.
06:24For a great burger, your best bet is to seek out fattier, inexpensive cuts like Chuck,
06:28which naturally boasts an 80-20 meat-to-fat ratio. This tougher, richly flavored cut actually
06:33benefits from being ground, which helps to break apart some of that chewy connective
06:37tissue and turn it into a tender, delicious patty.
06:41Why do you want hamburger when you can have filet mignon?"
06:45Both beef tenderloin and filet mignon are relatively low in connective tissue and fat
06:50compared to other steaks. Since tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts of beef out there,
06:54it's certainly a lower-fat option compared to richer cuts like ribeye. While this might
06:58seem like an advantage from a health perspective, a very lean cut has a few downsides. Lean
07:03cuts of meat are less forgiving of overcooking than fattier cuts, which means that just a
07:08moment's distraction can transform these steaks into expensive hockey pucks. What's
07:12more, marbling, which refers to the flex of intramuscular fat you'll see on fattier cuts,
07:17adds loads of flavor and juiciness to meat.
07:20Both tenderloin and filet mignon lack these attributes, leading many chefs and home cooks
07:24to overcompensate with rich sauces. While delicious, these accompaniments increase the
07:29overall fat content of the steak significantly, offsetting any health benefits from choosing
07:34a leaner cut of steak.
07:36Given the leanness of tenderloin and filet mignon, both steaks are best cooked no further
07:40than medium-rare. Both Suzuki and chef Crater agree that this keeps the meat juicy and tender.
07:45In Crater's words,
07:46"...I would never cook past medium-rare. There is not a lot of fat to protect the steak and
07:50it loses its juices pretty quickly. The texture changes quite dramatically once you go past
07:55medium."
07:56For the perfect medium-rare steak, Suzuki recommends cooking it until it hits an internal
08:00temperature of 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Crater, meanwhile, thinks that the easiest
08:06way to get there is by searing a steak in a cast iron pan. He elaborates,
08:10"...this gets a really nice crust and crispy texture that other cooking methods will not
08:14while not overcooking the steak."
08:16Of course, as with all steaks, don't forget to rest the meat before serving so the juices
08:20can redistribute, and the interior of the steak remains moist.
08:24The lack of fat in tenderloin and filet mignon also means that both are particularly tasty
08:29with sauces, which add much-needed flavor and fat. As chef Crater puts it,
08:33"...both of these steaks are what I would call sauce sponges."
08:36As for which sauce to choose, the possibilities are endless. Aki Suzuki notes that a sauce
08:41can be as simple as a homemade compound butter, seasoned with garlic, herbs, or spices. A
08:46French Bordelaise made with red wine, bone marrow, and butter is certainly luxurious,
08:51while a zingy chimichurri from Argentina adds brightness and zip. A delicious creme fraiche
08:56sauce is a snap to pull together if you want something quick and easy, though a more complex
09:00pan sauce like au poivre is certainly impressive. Needless to say, there's no shortage of options.
09:06If you want to pair your steak with some high-quality bacon, you may want to spring for the filet
09:10mignon. Many butchers, chefs, and home cooks impart even more flavor and fat to their filets
09:15by wrapping their steaks with bacon. This technique doesn't just naturally baste the
09:19filet mignon in tasty, smoky fat, but it can also serve to hold together the end of the
09:24filet, which occasionally comes apart into two pieces.
09:27I'm gonna go ahead and add the bacon-wrapped filet, please. And if you could double up
09:31the bacon on that, that'd be great.
09:32Go for it, buddy.
09:33Go, Pete!
09:34Yeah, sounds good, huh?
09:35Whippin' it, yeah.
09:36To master this technique, it's important to keep a few things in mind. Since filet mignon
09:40can overcook so quickly, even with the protective coating of bacon, it's essential to sear the
09:45steaks quickly in a pan and finish them in the oven, where the indirect heat will ensure
09:49the bacon and steak are cooked to perfection. Resist the urge to use thick-cut bacon here,
09:54as it will not cook through until the steak is far past the desired medium-rare. If you
09:58prefer your steak on the rarer side, it may even be worth it to par-cook the bacon slightly,
10:03either in the oven or the microwave, before cooling it and affixing it to the filet.
10:07While you can purchase filet mignon already wrapped or barted in bacon, this tends to
10:11be far more expensive than just doing it yourself. When attaching the bacon to the filet, stretch
10:15it slightly so that it's taut, helping the steak hold its shape and ensuring that it
10:19doesn't loosen when the steak invariably shrinks during the cooking process.
10:24Dry-aging beef is all the rage these days, as it's a beloved technique that can impart
10:28a funkier, beefier flavor to your favorite cuts of steak. But filet mignon is not necessarily
10:33at an advantage when dry-aged. One major goal of dry-aging is to tenderize tough cuts of
10:38meat, but tenderizing an already tender cut like tenderloin can result in a steak with
10:42an unappetizing, mushy texture. And that's not all.
10:46As Katie Flannery of Flannery Beef explains, since dry-aging essentially involves allowing
10:50the outer layers of the cut of beef to succumb to controlled rotting, it contributes to phenomenal
10:55loss with regard to the filet. Unlike other cuts like the short loin, a tenderloin has
10:59no protective covering, meaning the excess that is trimmed away is fairly wasteful. According
11:04to Flannery, any flavor development isn't worth doubling the cost of this already expensive
11:09cut.
11:10It's rare to end up with leftover filet mignon or beef tenderloin. After all, these lean,
11:15expensive cuts are typically served in portions that are just right for the individual diner.
11:19But in the unlikely event that you do end up with leftovers, resist the urge to try
11:23to reheat them. While it's possible to use a low-and-slow method to heat the steak back
11:27up, the risk of ending up with dry steak isn't worth it.
11:30Well, you know what they say about tenderloin, always a risky option. It's gotta be done
11:35just right.
11:36Instead, allow the steak to temper to room temperature and enjoy it cold. Thinly sliced
11:41leftover beef tenderloin is particularly delicious on a sandwich or slider. Consider using a
11:46richer roll like a buttery croissant and adding some blue cheese to add even more flavor
11:50to the finished dish.
11:51The leftover beef can also be sliced and served on top of a Caesar salad or Cobb salad in
11:56place of grilled chicken, in order to give it a special flair.