This filet mignon with a rich red wine mushroom sauce is perfect for Valentine’s Day or just a cozy date night.
Filet mignon paired with a luxurious red wine mushroom sauce is the quintessential celebration meal.
I love this meal so much that I’ve made it for multiple New Year’s Eve dinners–including the one that just passed–as well as Valentine’s Day. It’s my go-to for a romantic date night, and in my humble opinion, it tastes as good as the steakhouse for a fraction of the price.
There’s a restaurant I really want to try in my city. It looks glorious, but I can’t justify spending $72 for the filet and $30 for two sides. While I enjoy going out to eat, I don’t love spending 5 times as much for something I can approximate at home. Maybe I haven’t fully adjusted to post-inflation era restaurant pricing, but $100 for one entrée seems ungodly expensive. When I bought these filets, I splurged and got the really fancy thick ones, and at $56 for two filets, that still bit! Obviously, there is the effort factor to account for, so maybe one day, when I’m feeling particularly like the lady of leisure I deserve to be, I’ll drop the hundred buckaroonies and see if it’s worth the price.
What do you think? At what price point does the cost outweigh the benefits of not having to cook it yourself?
At any rate, if you’re feeling like staying in for Valentine’s Day or you want a fancy meal at home on a random Friday, this filet mignon with red wine mushroom sauce must enter the rotation. It’s classic comfort and looks absolutely stunning plated up.
How to make filet mignon with red wine mushroom sauce
This recipe starts with a dry brine, which I wrote about in this resource article. You’ll coat the filets in salt and pepper and refrigerate them for a few hours before you begin the recipe. It creates the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth filet mignon. I promise. Because these are such thick filets, I strongly recommend reverse searing. Reverse sear means baking them until they reach your desired internal temperature and then quickly searing them in a hot skillet. This is great because it lets you get a head start on the wine sauce, so everything comes together nicely in terms of timing.
What you need
- Filet mignon: Aim for filets that are 2 inches thick and weigh about 8 ounces a piece.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: The filets are seasoned with only salt and pepper.
- Mushrooms: You can use mixed mushrooms, but I keep it simple with sliced baby bellas. Maitake, beech, or oyster mushrooms would be delicious.
- Shallot, garlic, and thyme: I use these as the aromatics for the sauce. A bit of minced rosemary or sage would be lovely, too.
- Butter: I baste the steaks in a little butter when I sear them.
- Flour, red wine, and beef stock: The flour, wine, and beef stock create a luxuriously thick and flavorful sauce for the beef.
- Step 1: Dry brine the beef. Season each filet with kosher salt and black pepper. Place them on a raised rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
- Step 2: Bake the beef. Thirty minutes before starting, remove the beef from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until your desired internal temperature is met. Begin checking the temperature with an instant-read thermometer after 30 minutes. The timing will depend on the thickness of your filets and your desired internal temperature. I cooked mine for 46 minutes to reach 128ºF. Rest the steaks for 10 minutes after you remove them from the oven.
- Step 3: Shortly before the beef finishes baking, sauté the mushrooms. Start them in a dry skillet so they release moisture gradually. Once all the water evaporates, add extra virgin olive oil and cook until they brown. Add the shallot, garlic, and thyme. Sauté for 5 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
- Step 4: Sear the steaks. Heat neutral oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add the steaks and cook without moving for 2 minutes. Flip and add the butter. Tilt the skillet toward you and baste the steaks with the melted butter for 1 minute more. Transfer the steaks to a plate or cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Blot out any excess butter from the skillet.
- Step 5: Make the sauce. Return the mushrooms to the skillet and turn the heat to medium. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the red wine and whisk until a thick slurry forms. Add the beef stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat and season.
From there, you can plate it up! I like to spoon the sauce into a deep serving platter and place the steaks on top. I serve the filets with mashed potatoes and fresh thyme leaves.
Everything about this meal is just so perfect for Valentine’s Day. It’s even better if it’s rounded out with a Mocha Mousse at the end!
Filet Mignon with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 8-ounce filet mignon (2 inches thick)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms (wiped clean and sliced)
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (plus more if needed)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 shallot (peeled and minced)
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ cup dry red wine
- ½ cup beef stock
For serving:
Instructions
Dry brine the filet mignon:
- Pat the filet mignon dry. Season each filet with ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and ¾ teaspoon black pepper, coating each filet evenly with salt and pepper.
- Place a raised rack on top of a foil-lined baking sheet. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
Bake the filet mignon:
- Remove the filets from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking them. Preheat the oven to 300ºF.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven for 30 to 45 minutes. The exact timing will depend on the thickness of your steaks and your desired internal temperature. Begin to check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer after 30 minutes. I cooked my filets to 128ºF, and it took 46 minutes. See Note 1.
- Remove the filets from the oven and rest for 10 minutes.
Cook the mushrooms:
- Brown the mushrooms about 15 minutes before the filets finish baking. Transfer them to a large skillet and turn the heat to medium. The mushrooms will release water, which will evaporate in 4 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Once the moisture evaporates from the skillet, add 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil. Sauté for 3 minutes until the mushrooms turn golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the garlic, shallot, and thyme to the mushrooms. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often until the shallot softens. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and transfer the mushrooms to a bowl. Wipe out the skillet.
Brown the filets:
- Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is very hot, add the filets and cook without moving for 2 minutes. Flip and add the butter. Base the tops of the filets for 1 to 2 minutes until the other side is evenly browned. Transfer to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Blot out any excess butter from the skillet.
Prepare the wine sauce:
- Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 30 seconds. Add the flour and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the red wine and bring to a boil. Whisk the wine into the flour until a slurry forms. Cook for 1 minute. Add the beef stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Taste and add salt and pepper. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Spoon the wine sauce onto a serving platter and place both filets mignon on top. Sprinkle fresh thyme leaves over the steaks. Serve with mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Rare: 125ºF to 130ºF
- Medium-rare: 130 to 135ºF
- Medium: 140ºF
- Medium-well: 150ºF
- Well-done: 160ºF
