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By Shawn Williams
4.58 from 7 votes
Mar 03, 2023, Updated Jan 05, 2024
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Bacon-wrapped filet mignon is a fancy date-night-worthy meal withweeknight simplicity and ease. From prep to clean up, it’s about 25 minutes of work! Who would have thought something soclassycould be this easy?
This filet mignon recipe is tried and true and one of the easiest methods to yield a perfect steak every time. Make this recipe surf and turf with bacon-wrapped scallops!
Table of Contents
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients
- How To Cook Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon
- Temperature For Steak
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What to Serve With Filet Mignon
- More Filet Mignon Recipes
- Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
- The secret to cooking the perfect steak lies incombining pan searing with an oven finish. This gives your fileta caramelizedexterior with a juicy tender inside.
- An oven is much better at providing indirect heat while pan-searing in a cast iron skillet gives you a beautifully caramelized exterior.
Ingredients
- 10-12 ounce tenderloin beef filets (roughly 1.5- 2 inches thick): look for steaks that are about 2 inches thick and appear plump and deep red in color. Avoid steaks with signs of browning or slimy texture.
- Salt and pepper: for seasoning and optional dry brining
- Vegetable or canola oil: these oils are best for searing because they have a higher smoke point than butter or olive oil.
- Bacon: look for regular-cut bacon in terms of thickness. Thick-cut bacon may take too long to cook.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
How To Cook Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon
Step 1.
Soften the butter in a microwave-safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. Stir in herbs and garlic until fully mixed. Spoon the butter onto tin foil doing your best to reshape it to resemble a stick of butter. Place in refrigerator for about 10 minutes and remove 5 minutes before adding to the filet.
Step 2.
Preheat the oven to 415°F. Remove the steak and bacon from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking, this is to bring the steak to room temperature and ensure your cooking times are more accurate. Season all sides liberally with salt and pepper. This can be done while your steak comes to room temp.
Step 3.
Securely wrap each filet with a slice of room-temperature bacon, securing where the two ends meet with a toothpick. If the steak is larger and or longer rather than circular, compress the steak inward to shorten the circumference. This will help the bacon wrap all the way around.
Step 4.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to an oven-safe cast iron skillet and turn the heat up high, allowing the skillet to become very hot. Twirl the pan to distribute oil as it heats. Once the oil starts to smoke, place the filets face down and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip the filets and sear for an additional 2 minutes. This will give your filets a nice seared edge. Sear the circumference of the steak by rolling it in the pan for 5-10 seconds a side. This will help to cook the bacon more.
Step 5.
Transfer your skillet directly to the oven. [WARNING] skillet may be hot, handle it with oven mitts. For rare, bake for 4 minutes. Medium rare, 5-6 minutes. Medium, 6-7 minutes. Medium well, 8-9 minutes. Remember, depending on the size of the steak, the more or less time it will take. This recipe is ideal for an 8-10 ounce portion, roughly 1.5-2 inches thick.
Step 6.
Remove filets from the skillet and set them on a plate, lightly cover with foil, and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. This is important to bring your steak to its final serving temperature.
Step 7.
Top with a slice of garlic and herb butter and serve. Don’t forget to remove toothpicks before consuming.
Temperature For Steak
The timing/temperature chart below corresponds to the pan sear/oven method in this recipe. It’s a great guide assuming you choose a steak of similar size and thickness as listed in the recipe. I recommend a digital thermometer to verify your desired level of doneness.
| Doneness | Temperature Range | Oven Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Very Rare/rare | 120°F to 125°F | 4 minutes |
| Medium rare | 125°F to 130°F | 5-6 minutes |
| Medium | 135°F to 140°F | 6-7 minutes |
| Medium well | 145°F to 150°F | 8-9 minutes |
| Well done | 160°F and above | 10+ minutes |
SMOKE WARNING: Cooking steaks at high temps in a skillet tends to get smokey. Open a kitchen window and turn on your kitchen’s overhead vent fan before you start to help with ventilation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the bacon not crispy?
The bacon will not be crisp due to excess moisture. It helps to cook the edges of the steak so the bacon can sear before adding it to the oven. You can alternatively try reverse searing. This will increase the oven duration for the bacon!
Do I need a cast iron skillet?
Cast iron is really versatile and can be used for so many different recipes on my site. Here isthe one I have. Any oven-safe pan should do the trick, however, as a disclaimer, I based the cook times and results on cast iron.
What if I don’t have an oven-safe pan?
If you don’t have an oven-safe pan, you can sear your filets on the stovetop and then transfer them to a baking sheet lined with a wire rack. This method works really well at keeping your steaks elevated from the direct heat while in the oven. Just note, this will likely add additional baking time.
What if I’m cooking more than 4 filets?
If cooking more than 4 steaks on a standard skillet, you may need to adjust the cooking times. I wouldn’t attempt to cook more than 6 filets at a time in a single skillet because the heat loss is going to be too significant.
What to Serve With Filet Mignon
Below are a few of my tried and true side dishes to accompany the perfect steak.
- Cream cheese mashed potatoes
- Roasted red potatoes
- Roasted fingerling potatoes with parmesan cheese
- Smashed potatoes with basil pesto
- Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon
- Make this recipe surf and turf withpan-seared lemon butter scallopsorbaked lobster tails.
More Filet Mignon Recipes
Pan-Seared Filet Mignon with Red Wine and Balsamic Sauce
Filet Mignon with Blueberry Glaze Recipe
Pan-Seared Filet Mignon Recipe
How to Grill Filet Mignon
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & areview in the comments!
4.58 from 7 votes
Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon Recipe
By: Shawn Williams
Servings: 2
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 10 minutes mins
Total: 20 minutes mins
Save
Pan-seared filet mignon wrapped in bacon and topped with herb butter.
Ingredients
- 2 10- ounce thick tenderloin beef filets, roughly 1.5- 2 inches thick
- 2 slices regular-cut pork bacon, uncooked
- salt and pepper to taste
- Vegetable or canola oil, can use 2 tbsp butter but it has a lower smoke point
Garlic & Herb Butter
- 1/2 stick of butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
Instructions
For the herb butter
Soften the butter in a microwave-safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. Stir in herbs and garlic until fully mixed. Spoon the butter onto tin foil doing your best to reshape it to resemble a stick of butter. Place in refrigerator for about 10 minutes and remove 5 minutes before adding to the filet.
For the filets
Preheat the oven to 415°F. Remove the steak and bacon from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking, this is to bring the steak to room temperature and ensure your cooking times are more accurate. Season all sides liberally with salt and pepper. This can be done while your steak comes to room temp.
Securely wrap each filet with a slice of room temp bacon, securing where the two ends meet with a toothpick. If the steak is larger and or longer rather than circular, compress the steak inward to shorten the circumference. This will help the bacon wrap all the way around.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to an oven-safe cast iron skillet and turn the heat up high, allowing the skillet to become very hot. Twirl the pan to distribute oil as it heats. Once the oil starts to smoke, place the filets face down and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip the filets and sear for an additional 2 minutes. Sear the circumference of the steak by rolling it in the pan for 5-10 seconds a side. This will help to cook the bacon more.
Transfer your skillet directly to the oven. [WARNING] skillet may be hot, handle it with oven mitts. For rare, bake for 4 minutes. Medium rare, 5-6 minutes. Medium, 6-7 minutes. Medium well, 8-9 minutes. Remember, depending on the size of the steak, the more or less time it will take. This recipe is ideal for an 8-10 ounce portion, roughly 1.5-2 inches thick.
Remove filets from the skillet and set them on a plate, lightly cover with foil, and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. This is important to bring your steak to its final serving temperature.
Top with a slice of garlic and herb butter and serve. Don’t forget to remove toothpicks before consuming.
Notes
Cooking steaks at high temps in a skillet tends to get smokey. Open a kitchen window and turn on your kitchen’s overhead vent fan before you start to help with ventilation.
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet or pan, sear the steaks first and then transfer them to a baking sheet lined with a wire rack. This method works really well at keeping your steaks elevated from the direct heat source but will also add additional cooking time to your oven duration. Plan on 2-3 additional minutes.
Temperatures for steak
Rare: 120°F to 125°F
Medium rare: 125°F to 130°F
Medium: 135°F to 140°F
Medium well: 145°F to 150°F
Well done: 160°F and above
Nutrition
Serving: 1steakCalories: 671kcalCarbohydrates: 12.4gProtein: 29.1gFat: 61.8gSaturated Fat: 24.6gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 516mgFiber: 2.7g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
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