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–+ servings
Two smoked filet mignon steaks on a plate

Smoked Filet Mignon - Reverse Seared

Mads Martigan
These delicious smoked filet mignon steaks can be on ANY grill or smoker, whether its a Traeger or Pit Boss pellet grill, a Masterbuilt electric smoker, or just a simple Weber kettle!
Tender thick-cut filet mignon steaks simply seasoned and then slow smoked on a grill or smoker to add maximum flavor.
Finished with a blazing hot reverse sear in a cast iron pan to get a perfect, sizzling, crispy crust before serving.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Australian, barbecue, BBQ, Holiday, Keto, New Years, Smoked
Servings 4 people
Calories 884 kcal

Equipment

  • Propane, Charcoal, or Pellet Smoker -OR-
  • a Gas or charcoal grill with a smoker box or pellet tube smoker.
  • Hickory or Mesquite Wood chips, chunks, or pellets
  • Large Cast Iron Skillet
  • Instant Read Thermometer

Ingredients
  

  • 4 8 oz thick cut filet mignon steaks preferably prime grade and well marbled
  • 2 tablespoon cooking oil preferably avocado or grapeseed
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh black pepper
  • steak or BBQ rub optional

Reverse Searing

  • 8 tablespoon Butter
  • 4 tablespoon cooking oil for reverse searing preferably avocado or grapeseed

Instructions
 

Prepare the Filet Mignons

  • Coat your steaks in oil and a generous amount of kosher salt, pepper, and steak rub, if using, on all sides.
    raw filet mignon with bbq rub on it
  • Wrap the filets in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Setup your Smoker or Grill

  • Set up your smoker (or grill with indirect heating) to 180°F
  • Remove your filet mignons from the refrigerator and unwrap them.
  • When the smoker or grill is up to 180°F, add your wood chunks to the coals, or wood chips to the tray or smoker box. Alternatively, you can add wood pellets to a pellet tube smoker or charcoal and wood chunks to a firebox. Place the smoker box or pellet tube smoker over the hot coals or burners.
  • When smoke begins to come out, place your filet mignon steaks on the grates, away from the direct heat if using a grill and close the lid.
  • Adjust the burners or vents to maintain a temperature of 180°F inside the cooking chamber. You can rotate and flip the steaks as needed to maintain even cooking in the chamber.

Prepare a Cast Iron Skillet or Grill Grates for the Reverse Sear

  • While the filet mignon are smoking, heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat and warm up 1 tablespoon cooking oil and 2 tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Leave the rest of the oil and butter ready to go for when you pull the steaks from smoker.
  • Monitor your steak internal temperature. After about 20-30 minutes your steaks should reach an internal temperature of 90°F, depending on thickness.

Reverse Searing the Smoked Filet Mignon

  • Once the steaks reach 90°F internally, remove them from the smoker onto a platter and bring them over to the preheated cast iron skillet or grill grates.
  • Turn the heat on the skillet up to HIGH and when the oil begins to smoke put one of the steaks in the skillet.
  • Let the steak sear for about 90 seconds on one side and then flip to the other side.
  • If you prefer to cook the steaks over direct heat on a pellet grill or a gas grill, place the steaks directly above the heat source to sear.
    filet mignon steaks on the grates of a pit boss pellet grill
  • Check the internal temperature of the filet, continue to flip in the skillet to cook evenly and when it is about 5-10°F shy of your desired doneness (see notes below), remove it from the skillet.
    Filet mignon on a plate with an instant read thermometer reading 120 degrees F
  • Add another tablespoon of butter and ½ tablespoon oil to the hot skillet and repeat each time with the remaining steaks. Its ok to do 2 at a time with a large skillet but do not crowd all the filets in the skillet at once or you will not get as good of a sear.
  • Let all the steaks rest 5-10 minutes on a platter or cutting board before serving. Do not cover them in foil or stack them as they will overcook.
    Two smoked filet mignon steaks on a plate

Notes

Use the following internal temperature guide to determine when to pull your steaks from the grill.
Rare: 125°F (very red center)Medium Rare: 130 – 135°F (red center)Medium – 140 – 145°F (pink center)Medium Well Done – 150°F (slight pink center)Well Done – 160°F (no pink, cooked throughout)

Nutrition

Serving: 8ozCalories: 884kcalCarbohydrates: 0.02gProtein: 41gFat: 79gSaturated Fat: 35gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 28gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 219mgSodium: 291mgPotassium: 696mgSugar: 0.02gVitamin A: 700IUCalcium: 23mgIron: 5mg
Keyword barbecue, bbq, Beef, Butter, Camp Chef, cast iron, Charcoal, electric smoker, filet mignon, Gas, Grilled, Grilling, hickory, How to, Masterbuilt, Mesquite, pellet grill, Pit Boss, Reverese Sear, smoked filet mignon, smoked steak, traeger, Weber
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