It’s likely you’ve cooked a steak or two once in your life. But have you done it properly? Cooking steak is an art form, and if you want to get it just like that beautiful, restaurant-quality steak you dream about, listen up.
What is fillet steak?
Fillet comes from the lower middle part of the back, and forms part of the sirloin. Because it’s a muscle that isn’t used a lot, fillet steak is very lean, and has little fat marbling through it. It tends to be a more expensive cut of meat than others, and it’s also commonly used for carpaccio – thinly sliced raw steak.
What to look for when buying fillet steak:
This advice is for all steak, not just fillet. When looking for good steak, it should have great colour, and look moist but not wet. If the steak is pre-cut, it should have lovely even edges.
Ideally, you want your fillet steak to be cut a little thicker than others, so make sure to ask for steaks that are at least 4cm thick.
How to prepare fillet steak:
It’s really important with all steak that you remove it from the packaging, pat dry to remove excess moisture and bring it up to room temperature. This helps with a much better, even cook. When ready to cook, you also want to pre-season those steaks, generously.
How long to cook fillet steak:
If you’re a well done hun, I hate to tell you… this steak is not for you. Fillet steak is such a lean cut of meat that if it’s cooked severely well done you’re just going to be left with a really over-cooked and dry piece of meat. We do recommend rare to medium for this.
Also remember, that it’s not just the cooking time that it’s important. For a good fillet steak, it’s imperative to leave it to rest too.
How do you know when your fillet steak is cooked?
Your fillet steak will become firmer as it cooks. The more spring back there is when you push your finger into the meat, the more cooked it is. If you’re looking for medium-rare, you ideally want your steak to feel soft when it’s pushed, with just slight spring back.
What do you serve with fillet steak?
If you want to go full luxury, try homemade chips, jacket potato, or even a creamy dauphinoise potato. For something a little lighter, a lovely salad will work. In fact, we have an entire round-up of perfect steak side dishes!