Please can anyone tell me the best way to cook fillet steaks, they always come out tough

Hi Edwena - I think the secret is to cook them on a VERY HOT frying pan i.e. wait until the butter in nearly brown and then turn them once or twice.
That's how I do them anyway... Hope this helps
Marie Eve

Firstly, I oil the steak not the pan; if you put oil or butter in the pan it just burns and creates much smoke.Secondly heat the pan till it's very hot, season the steak at the last second and put in the pan. Thirdly get your timings right - 1.5 mins each side for really rare etc. Most important let your steak rest for at least 4 or 5 mins (use this time to get everything else ready).

Hi,
The best way to cook a fillet steak i feel is to put a bit of olive oil into a pan with a abit of garlic butter seal on both sides and put into the oven to cook to your likeness then after cooking leave on a chopping board to rest try this and im sure you like this. You can also try heating abit of honey and just coat the fillet in that then cook the same way you like like to here if you liked this.

Have to agree with Braces. Basic rule in the kitchen is rest the meat for as long as you have cooked it for.

Sorry I meant PeterA as well

My way (which is similar to above) is to get the meat to room temperature prior to cooking, rub with olive oil and pepper and leave for abit whilst you prepare the veggies or whatever. Then, heat a pan hot and cook for 2.5 minutes per side for medium. and this is for a 1" steak. Then make sure you leave to rest for a few minutes (I use this time to stir the sauce, if using, and plate up). For another tip, although fillet is lovely I prefer sirloin as it has much more flavour and you can cut off the fat, still leaving the marbling. HTH.

Many many thanks for all your help, will do as you all say and let you know the results. Edwena xxx

Many many thanks for all your help, will do as you all say and let you know the results. Edwena xxx

Why are you cooking fillet steak? It's expensive and lacks flavour, try Rib Eye its the only steak I tend to eat these days.

I always go by the 10 minute rule, if you cook the steak for 5 minutes, rest it for 5 minutes, if you cook it for 8 minutes then rest it for 2 minutes etc. For a nice rare steak cook it for 4 minutes and rest it for 6 minutes.

Make sure the pan is hot, and cook away.

Saying that by the time you have gone from the kitchen to sit down and eat, it will have started to rest anyway

I am obviously in good company, many good tips here. Firstly the fillet must be good enough to eat raw if not it wont cook well. It must be warm before you cook but try marinading in mushroom soy for 1 hour, the saltiness brings out the flavour that can easily be lost. I salt all steak first. Resting is important in a warm place not hot and if slicing go diagonal accross the grain.

In a lot of recipes "Creme Fraiche" is used, here in Western Australia it is not available, and until recently I did not know what it was. Could someone please advise me if it is acceptable to substitute light sour cream .If not, what would be the best thing to use. Hope someone can assist . Thankyou

always make sure that your steak is not to cold when you start to fry it.cook for 3-4 mins each side then take out and allow to rest.

I have just printed a recipe from Grampian TV about seafood & one of the ingredients is Langoustine. Can anyone tell me what it is please? I live in New Zealand, maybe that says it all!!!

They are small lobster normally from Norway, are you looking at a "surf and turf" recipe?

A good way of cooking fillet steak is to griddle it and then put it in a warm dish in the oven at about 50C gas 1/2 or 120F for 10 to 20 minutes, or use a fattier steak with more flavor such as rump.

vera7au sour creme is a perfect subsitute for creme fraiche and can be used in the same way and measures.

rumpel if you cant get langoustine use large prawns such as king prawns they have a similar flavor

The best way is to buy the best steak you can afford. The basic rule applies, you get what you pay for!

Hello everyone, hubby's after a good and tasty recipe with fennel bulbs.... any ideas? Many thanks

Hi ALL -

There's a very tasty JO recipe on this link.

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