Smoked Filet Mignon - Reverse Seared

Two smoked filet mignon steaks on a plate

Smoked Filet Mignon - Reverse Seared

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.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Resting Time 5

Total Time 50

Servings people

Calories 884kcal

Author Mads Martigan

Cost $60

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.
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.
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.
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.

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