Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon with Cowboy Butter

Two bacon wrapped filet mignons topped with melted cowboy butter on a plate.

5 from 1 vote

Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon with Cowboy Butter

This bacon-wrapped filet mignon is seared in cast iron and finished with a bold cowboy butter made with garlic, herbs, Dijon, and lemon zest. Tender, juicy, and steakhouse-worthy, it’s an easy yet impressive dinner for special occasions or when you want something extra special.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Dry Brine1

Total Time1 25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 528kcal

Author: Sharon Rigsby

Equipment

cast-iron skillet

Ingredients

2 filet mignons, 8 ounces each, 1½-2-inches thick.
2 slices bacon
1½ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2-3 tablespoons peanut oil, or another high smoke point oil

Cowboy Butter

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons minced chives
2 teaspoons minced parsley
2 garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press, or finely minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¾ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

Dry Brine Filets

Place filets on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Salt all sides of the filets with 1-2 teaspoons of salt, then store them in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Alternatively, salt filets with 1-2 teaspoons of salt and allow them to set at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking.

Cowboy Butter

Make the cowboy butter. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, mix well until thoroughly incorporated, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. Cowboy butter can be made 2-3 days in advance.

Filets

Wrap bacon around the filets, overlapping slightly, and secure with a toothpick. Season all sides with black pepper. *See notes about pre-cooking the bacon.
Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil to the hot pan and let it heat for 1 minute. Place filets in the hot skillet, sear without moving for 2-3 minutes, then turn the filets and sear for an additional 2 minutes. Reduce the temperature to medium. To cook the bacon, sear the filets on all sides, about 1 minute per side.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of cowboy butter to the pan, baste the filets regularly with the melted butter, and cook each side for 2-3 additional minutes for medium-rare (130°F) or medium (140°F), as measured with an instant-read digital meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the steak.
Remove the steaks from the pan, top each steak with one tablespoon of cowboy butter, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
To serve, remove the toothpicks, serve alongside the remaining cowboy butter softened or melted as a sauce.

Notes

It is best to let steaks reach room temperature before cooking. Room-temperature steaks allow for more even cooking, resulting in uniform doneness from edge to center.

Give the bacon a head start: For best results, I recommend microwaving the bacon slices for about 1 minute before wrapping the filets. This renders some of the fat early, helping the bacon crisp evenly without overcooking the steak, regardless of the filet's thickness.

Adjust for thicker filets: While this recipe was initially written for filets about 1½ to 2 inches thick, many store-bought filet mignons today are closer to 3 inches thick. When testing with thicker steaks, I found it works best to sear them in the skillet, then transfer the pan to a 400°F oven for about 4 minutes to reach medium-rare (around 130°F).

Expect some smoke: Cooking bacon-wrapped steaks in a hot cast-iron skillet creates a fair amount of smoke. Be sure to turn your exhaust fan on high or open a window before you start cooking.

Minimize splatter and cleanup: Because both bacon and butter render as the steaks cook, there can be some grease splatter. A splatter screen over the skillet works beautifully here and makes cleanup much easier.

Use extra care when finishing in the oven: If you’re using thicker filets and finishing them in the oven, remember that cast-iron skillets retain heat extremely well. Use sturdy oven mitts when transferring the pan in and out of the oven, and be careful when checking the internal temperature.

Nutrition