Filet Mignon with Red Wine Sauce (2024)

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This balsamic and red wine steak recipe is inspired by one of my favorite restaurants in Florence, Italy. One of our most unique dining experiences on the trip was at a restaurant calledAcqua Al 2. The restaurant is known for its beef, specifically the balsamic and blueberry glazed steak, which of course immediately piqued my interest.

Why This Recipe Works

I was a little skeptical of adding a tart sauce on top of steak. In reality, a red wine glaze is very complimentary of the savory and salty nature of steak. Red wine and beef pair nicely together because of the tannins in wine and the fat content in red meat. Serving red wine on top of steak is a way to experience this phenomenon in every bite

I’ve also taken restaurant cooking into the home by learning the best way to sous vide steak and creating an amazing blue cheese butter to top it with.

The Secret to Perfect Filet Mignon

The secret to cooking the perfect steak is combining pan searing with an oven finish. This gives you a nicely seared exterior (high heat) with a juicy and evenly cooked interior (indirect lower heat).

The overall consistency and predictability of this cooking technique give this recipe a very high success rate on the very first try. I’ve followed it to the T with great success with hundreds of steaks. If this is your first time preparing filet mignon or if you’re struggling to get it right, then this recipe is for you.

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. 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.
• Dry red wine: look for chianti or similar. This is a great way to use older wine that’s losing freshness.
• balsamic vinegar: balsamic vinegar is delicious when it’s reduced with some added sugar. Be sure you’re buying balsamic vinegar and not balsamic glaze, which has already been reduced.
• Brown sugar: brown sugar or table sugar helps to balance the acid from the berries and wine. Without it, the sauce will be overly tart. You can back-sweeten to taste with additional sugar if needed.
• Garlic, butter, and rosemary: I add whole garlic, butter, and rosemary to the pan before placing the steaks in the oven. This enhances the pan drippings so you can spoon them over the filet just after cooking.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.

Red Wine Reduction For Steak

My secret to cooking filet mignon in a red wine reduction is adding balsamic vinegar. This adds richness, additional acid, and some sweetness. This recipe also calls for a little brown sugar to help the sauce caramelize and balance the acid.

Seasoning the Steak

Remove your steak from the fridge 1 hour before cooking to bring it closer to room temp. This is going to ensure even cooking and more accurate cooking times. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and season generously with coarse sea salt or kosher salt and pepper.

Dry Brining Steak

You can take seasoning one step further with dry brining. Dry brining is the process of drying out the exterior of the steak with salt before cooking, locking in the juices, and enhancing the flavor. To dry brine steak, place the steaks on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and season liberally with coarse sea salt or kosher salt, and pepper. Place the steaks in the fridge uncovered for at least one hour or preferably overnight. The drier steak surface will make for even better crusting.

Steak should still rest on the counter for at least 30-45 minutes before cooking to climatize. No additional salt or seasoning is required.

How to Cook Filet Mignon

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 steak’s internal temperature for the desired level of doneness. Always measure in the middle of the thickest part of the steak.

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.

Let Steaks Rest

The legend, Anthony Bourdain once said, the most important aspect of cooking any steak is the rest period after you take it off the heat. Letting a steak rest for 5-7 minutes before cutting is critical for two reasons. One, it continues to cook the steak. Second, the juices evenly distribute back throughout the meat, yielding the perfect bite every time. Always let your steaks rest!

Frequently Asked Questions

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