Ask The Meatman!

You may want to ask the butcher first, but many meat shops, when selling bacon-wrapped filet mignon, include the bacon in the total weight of a 6 oz. (or 8 oz. too) Filet Mignon!!

An average strip of bacon weighs 1 oz. So when you buy a 6 oz. bacon-wrapped filet mignon, you are actually purchasing 5 oz. of filet mignon, and 1 oz. of bacon. (As I said above, not all meat shops do this. Some, when selling a bacon-wrapped filet are selling you a 6 oz. fillet with a 1 oz. slice of bacon with it "free".) Also, I'm not saying this practice is either illegal or UN-ethical, but many meat shops don't state how they are "weighing" the fillet.

It may not sound like much, but it can make a BIG difference in price and what you are actually paying for.

An example: If you pay $6.00 for a bacon-wrapped fillet that is actually 5 oz. of filet and 1 oz. of bacon, you just paid $1.00 for that one strip of bacon. That figures out to $16.00/lb. for bacon!

Your best choice? One of two things:

1. Buy filet mignon that is not wrapped with bacon if the cost is the same as the bacon wrapped. Then, buy a lb. of bacon for $2 to $4 s lb., wrap a strip of bacon around the filet and fasten with 2 toothpicks. You just saved almost $1.00 on EACH filet!!

2. Ask the butcher if the 6 oz. bacon-wrapped filet includes the weight of bacon. If it doesn't, then you are actually getting 6 oz. of (ONLY) filet mignon for the price stated!

I'm offering this tip because most consumers aren't aware that the weight of the bacon is often included in the total weight or how much one strip of bacon weighs.
I think most shoppers would be pretty upset paying $10 to $16 a lb. for that strip of bacon, when they can add the bacon to filet itself.

Another Way To Save Money On Filet Mignon

The smart shopper will pick up Porterhouse steaks (on sale would even be better) and get two prime cuts at once. The small piece of meat on one side of the "t" shaped bone is none other than the filet mignon. The long strip of meat on the other side of the bone is known as the New York strip, shell, club or Delmonico steak when detached from the bone.  The price of the Porterhouse steak is cheaper than filet mignon (usually about $1.00 to $2.00 cheaper).  This way you can have a nice strip steak and a delicious Filet Mignon at a good price.  I would suggest to only purchase a Porterhouse steak that is least 1 inch thick, preferably about 1 1/2 inch thick.

Nutrition Facts for Beef Tenderloin
Serving Size -  4.5 oz (128g)**
Calories 261  (Calories from Fat 108)
*Percent Daily Value (Daily Value)
 are based on 2,000 calorie diet.
** Broiled Amount/serving%DV*   Amount/serving%DV*
Total Fat -  12g,  18%
Total Carb  -  0g,  0%
Sat. Fat 4.5g,  23%
Cholesterol  -  108mg,  36%
Sodium -  81mg,  4%
Protein -  36g  / Iron -  15%

Tips for Cooking Any Steak

 Turn your steak when the meat juices start to bubble up through the meat to the top of the steak. To test for doneness, press the meat with your finger. Rare meat will be soft and wobbly, medium will have a springy firmness and well done will feel very firm and unyielding. A steak will cook a little after you remove it from the grill or oven, so stop broiling when the steak tests slightly less done than desired. For great results every time, use an instant read kitchen thermometer. Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of your steak, hamburger or chops away from any bone or marbling.

Thermometer readings should be:

120° to 125°F for rare

130° to 135°F for medium rare

and 140° to 145°F for medium well.

 Although steaks are optimum in flavor and texture when cooked to no more than medium doneness, some people prefer their steaks well done. The internal temperature for medium well steak is 155°F and well done 160°F. Keep in mind that overcooking causes greater shrinkage and decreased tenderness.


The term "filet mignon" is a French derivative, the literal meaning is small (mignon) bone-less meat (filet). Cut from the small end of the beef tenderloin.
Filet mignon is considered the king of steaks because of its tender, melt in the mouth texture. A prime filet mignon can literally be cut with a fork. This beef cut can be quite expensive when dining out, but much more reasonable to make at home, especially if you purchase a whole tenderloin.
The whole tenderloin (also called chateaubriand) applies to the entire strip of tenderloin meat, whereas slices of the tenderloin are termed filet mignon. Filet mignon slices found in the market are generally one to two inches thick and two to three inches in diameter.

To see where the filet mignon is located on a beef, take a look at our beef charts page at www.askthemeatman.com

Tips and Hints for Filet Mignons

•  This cut is so tender that it should never be cooked beyond a medium-rare stage. The longer you cook it, the less tender and more dry it becomes.
•  Use a dry, high heat method such as broiling, roasting, pan-frying or grilling for this tender cut.
•  Cutting into the meat to check doneness lets precious juice escape. Use the touch method. Press the meat. If it feels soft and mushy and leaves an imprint, it is rare. If it is soft, but slightly resiliant, it is medium-rare. The minute it begins to feel firm, it is overdone.
•  Since the tenderloin has no surrounding fat tissue, it is often wrapped in a layer of fat (called barding) such as suet or bacon to keep it from drying out. The barding also adds flavor.
•  To ensure even cooking when roasting the whole tenderloin, the small end should be tucked up and tied or trimmed for other use.

You can a list of Filet Mignon recipes on our recipe web page at

 www.askthemeatman.com/filet_mignon_recipes.htm