Chipotle Grilled Filet Mignon Steaks
Filet Mignon Steak Recipe - How To Cook The Perfect Steak

This spicy-marinated steak is excellent paired with the delicious and cooling Mango Salsa. Recipe and photo from the cookbook Let’s Grill by Frederick J. Simon and John Harrison.

Chipotle Marinade (see recipe below)
4 Filet Mignon (Beef Tenderloin) steaks (about 6 ounces each and 1¼ inches thick)
Mango Salsa (see recipe below)
Coarse Salt

Preparation:

Prepare Chipotle Marinade. In a non-reactive baking dish or a resealable plastic bag, add the steaks and the Chipotle Marinade. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the Mango Salsa.

Remove steaks from refrigeration 1 hour before cooking and wipe excess marinade off the steaks. When you are ready to grill, preheat barbecue grill.

Do not salt your steaks just before cooking. Salt brings moisture (water) to the surface of the steak, and the water sits on the surface as you cook the steak. Thus, you are again basically steaming the steak. I know that some people do salt their steaks before cooking, but trust me and don't salt - the result will be juicy, delicious steaks to serve your family and guests! Salt after the steak is cooked to your liking, has rested the required time, and just before serving.

Place steaks onto hot grill and grill to the desired degree of doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare. Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness:

Rare - 120 degrees F
Medium Rare - 125 degrees F
Medium - 130 degrees F

 

What constitutes rare and medium-rare cooked meat?  To satisfy government home economists, the Beef Council says rare beef means an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. Well, that is ok if you like well-done and dry meat. If you like moist, rosy meat (like I do), rare begins at 120 degrees and starts to become medium rare at 125 or 130 degrees. To cook your meat properly, you must purchase and use a good instant-read digital meat thermometer. This is the type of cooking and meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking.  I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer shown in the photo on the right. Originally designed for professional users, the Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. To learn more about this excellent thermometer and to also purchase one (if you desire), just click on the underlined: Thermapen Thermometer. Residual Heat or Carry-Over Cooking: Remember, the steak will continue to cook as it sets. The temperature will rise to 125 degrees F. to 130 degrees F. internal temperature (medium rare) at 15 to 20 minutes. So, pay attention to how long you let the cooked steak sit before serving. Definition: Carry-over cooking is caused by residual heat transferring from the hotter exterior of the meat to the cooler center. As a general rule, the larger and thicker the cut of meat, and the higher the cooking temperature, the more residual heat will be in the meat, and the more the internal temperature will rise during resting due to carry-over cooking. This means the meat must be removed from the heat at an internal temperature lower than your desired final internal temperature, allowing the residual heat to finish the cooking.

When the steaks are crusty-charred and done to your liking, remove from the grill and let sit 15 minutes before serving (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven). Serve your perfectly cooked steaks with the prepared Mango Salsa.