Filet mignon is considered the king of steaks because of its tender, melt in the mouth texture. A prime filet mignon can literally be cut with a fork. This beef cut can be quite expensive when dining out, but much more reasonable to make at home, especially if you purchase a whole tenderloin.
What is filet mignon?
Filet mignon is French, of course, with filet meaning "thick slice" and mignon meaning "dainty." It first appears in American print in 1899. Filet mignon comes from the small end of the tenderloin (called the short loin) which is found on the back rib cage of the animal. This area of the animal is not weight-bearing, thus the connective tissue is not toughened by exercise resulting in extremely tender meat.
The tenderloin term (also called chateaubriand) applies to the entire strip of tenderloin meat, whereas slices of the tenderloin are termed filet mignon. Filet mignon slices found in the market are generally one to two inches thick and two to three inches in diameter, but true mignons are no more than one inch in diameter and are taken from the tail end. Although this cut is very tender, the beef flavor is proportionately lessened; thus, it is often served with an accompanying sauce incorporating the pan juices.
Getting the best price
The smart shopper will pick up porterhouse steaks on sale and get two prime cuts at once. The small medallion on one side of the bone is none other than the filet mignon. The long strip of meat on the other side of the bone is known as the New York strip, shell, club or Delmonico steak when detached from the bone or the T-bone when left attached. Use the T-bone or strip steaks for one meal and save the filets for a special dish.
Another option is to buy a whole loin on sale and cut it into filet mignon slices yourself. You control the thickness. Wrap unneeded slices tightly in plastic wrap, seal in a zip-top bag with all the air removed, and freeze for later use. You can use the larger end of the loin for a roast and the small end for filets.
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