Dad’s Charcoal Grilled Filet Mignon
Every once in a while, when possible, I’d definitely recommend investing in a good piece of meat. This isn’t to say there aren’t amazing things you could do with cheaper cuts of meat, but there’s something special with a perfectly grilled, smoky, medium rare-medium piece of steak.
This steak is perfect, it is grilled on charcoal, giving it that delicious smoky aftertaste, and it’s seasoned to perfection. Best of all, its so simple, requiring just a few basic ingredients and moments of your time!
It all starts with the meat: it has to be good quality. This recipe has basically just a few ingredients, depending on your choice of seasoning. And so, it relies on finding the best meat possible. Go for something not drowned by fat, or completely cut down. It should have decent marbling (in the meat world, this means that the fat runs through the tissue, without clumping, providing for a juicier steak at the end of the cook).
Next, your seasoning. You can really do anything for this, salt and pepper, cajun seasoning, make your own blend, etc. This is my dad’s recipe, and he likes to use a spice blend called “Montreal Steak Seasoning”. It’s delicious, and if you can find it definitely get it. Otherwise, you can make your own spice mix by combining 1/2 tbsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp paprika, 1/2 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp rosemary, 1 tsp dried basil or oregano, and 1/4 tsp cayenne. You can also just use salt and pepper, by eye.
The last important part of this recipe is the grill: my dad swears by his charcoal grill, it is the best way to get a smoky finish on the meat, with a good sear. If you don’t have one, don’t fret. You won’t get the exact same results, but you can use a gas grill or cast iron pan. The timing may be adjusted, so be careful with that.
Without further ado, here’s my dad’s recipe for the best grilled filet mignon, and its incredibly simple.
Ingredients:
- 2 6-oz filet mignon steaks, about 1″ thick (2.5 cm)
- your choice of seasoning: Montreal steak seasoning, salt and pepper, or homemade spice blend (see above)
Instructions
- Start by preparing your steak, trimming down excess fat. Then, rub it with your choice of seasoning, by eye, until it looks well coated. Place the steaks on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and let “marinate” in the dry rub for about 40 minutes.
- Heat up your charcoal grill, getting it to a temperature within the range of 300-400 degrees. If your grill is somewhere between 300-350, grill the steaks (to achieve medium/medium rare) for about 6 minutes per side. At 400ºF, grill for about 5 1/2 minutes.
- When done, let the steaks rest for at least ten minutes. That’s it! Enjoy!
Dad’s Charcoal Grilled Filet Mignon
Ingredients
- 2 6-oz filet mignon steaks about 1" (2.5 cm) thick
- seasoning of choice Montreal steak seasoning, salt and pepper, or homemade blend (see above)
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat off the steaks and pat them dry.
- Rub them generously with your seasoning of choice until they are well coated. Set on a plate and cover with plastic wrap, leave them to marinate in the dry rub for 40 minutes.
- Heat your charcoal grill to anywhere between 300-400ºF.
- Grill the steaks until medium rare/medium. For 300-350º, grill for about 6 minutes per side. For 400ºF, grill for about 5 1/2 minutes per side.
- Remove the steaks and let them rest for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Macros: 0 g carbohydrates, 13.5 g fat, 36 g protein
- See the blog post for instructions about the choice of meat, the seasoning options, and how to grill for the perfect cook.
Bonus: Here’s a picture of a typical dinner and sides we’d have to accompany the steak: green beans with garlic, smashed potatoes, and rainbow avocado corn salad.
