Filet Mignon with Drunken Mushrooms and Mashed Potatoes

There is no denying that a dish like filet mignon is best reserved for special occasions. Although it is one of the most expensive cuts of beef, tenderloin steaks are well worth the money. Thanks to its rich flavor and truly melt in your mouth tenderness, filet mignon is often regarded as the best steak that money can buy.

The meal that we will be preparing today features a brilliant pan seared filet steak along with a side of red skin mashed potatoes and drunken mushrooms. These dishes certainly shine individually, but when paired with one another they combine to make an incredibly well rounded and delicious meal. Whether you are trying to impress your significant other with an extravagant date night dinner, or simply want to treat yourself to an amazing steak, this filet mignon recipe is something that everyone will love.

Step One – Prepare the Red Skin Mashed Potatoes

Since the red skin mashed potatoes will take the longest to cook, you should get it started before everything else. A good time to start cooking the rest of the meal would be while the potatoes are boiling.

Step Two – Cube and Boil the Potatoes

In order to speed up the boiling process, we will be cutting the potatoes into smaller cubes. Bring a full pot of lightly salted water to a full boil and add the potato cubes. It should take anywhere from 15-30 minutes for them to become fully cooked. A good way to indicate whether they are ready or not is if you can stick a fork through the potato with little to no resistance.

Step Three – Heat Cream and Butter Together

While the potatoes are cooking, we will make the creamy butter sauce that gives these mashed potatoes their wonderful consistency. Simply melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat and add the heavy cream. Make sure to constantly stir the mixture to prevent it from burning on the bottom. Let this cook for around 5 minutes before adding it to the potatoes.

Step Four – Add the Cream Mixture to the Potatoes and Mash

Once the potatoes are fully cooked, strain them and place them in a large bowl. Add the creamy butter sauce from the previous step along with salt, pepper, and parsley. Mash everything together until no large chunks of potato remain. Some smaller chunks are alright and can even provide a unique texture.

Step Five – Mix in the Sour Cream

The final step to completing the mashed potatoes is to mix in the sour cream until evenly combined. You can add more or less sour cream depending on your preference. Top it all off with some freshly chopped chives and it is ready to go.

Step Six – Prepare the Filet Mignon

Next we will begin cooking the filet mignon themselves. The cut of beef that you are looking for should be labeled as beef tenderloin steaks. These filets come at a very expensive price point, but they are unbelievably tender and delicious.

Step Seven – Season the Steak and Cook Over High Heat

Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat, and while this pan is coming up to temperature season the steaks with a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Make sure to season both faces of the meat, along with the sides all the way around.

No oil should be necessary, but if you do decide to use oil make sure to apply it to the meat before seasoning, and not to the pan. Place the steaks directly into the skillet and let them cook for 2-3 minutes.

It is important to not move thesteaks around too much, as we are looking to form a perfectly crusted exterior on the meat. Once this has been achieved, flip the steaks to cook the other side.

Step Eight – Add Butter and Rosemary to the Skillet

As soon as the filets have been flipped over, add the butter and rosemary to the pan. The butter should melt very quickly and help to cook the steak while adding depth to its flavor.

Step Nine – Baste the Meat with Hot Butter

We will aid this process by using a spoon to baste the hot butter and rosemary over top of the steak. This will continue to cook the steak from both sides while allowing the meat to soak in that buttery herb flavor. Continuously baste the meat for about one minute, then let the steaks cook for another 2 minutes and remove from the pan.

Step Ten – Remove from Pan and Allow the Steak to Rest

Perhaps the most overlooked part of cooking beef is allowing the meat to rest after removing it from the heat. It is important to let your steaks rest to allow all of the tense muscles to relax and reabsorb its moisture. We will be preparing the drunken mushrooms and onions while our perfectly seared filet mignon rests.

Step Eleven – Saute Sliced Onions and Mushrooms in the Pan

Without removing the hot butter from the pan, add the thinly sliced onions and mushrooms. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the vegetables to saute until well caramelized. This should take around 3-5 minutes.

Step Twelve – Add Dark Beer and Simmer until Greatly Reduced

Once the mushrooms and onions have been perfectly caramelized, it is time to get them drunk. Add 12oz (one bottle) of your favorite dark beer to the pan. Let the beer cook for around 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce greatly reduces and thickens. The beer will add a bitter yet rich depth to the overall flavor of the vegetables, and pairs very well with both the steak and potatoes.

Step Thirteen – Serve the Three Dishes Together and Enjoy!

So if you just purchased a couple of expensive tenderloin steaks and are trying to ensure that your money does not go to waste, give this recipe a try. Not only is this meal incredibly diverse, its preparation is surprisingly simple. Feel free to substitute out anything or make customizations that fit your personal preferences. Perhaps add a bit of garlic to the potatoes or use a rich red wine in place of the dark beer. Regardless of how you choose to prepare this dish, you can almost never go wrong with filet mignon.