What Is Fillet Steak?

Also referred to as the beef tenderloin or sometimes filet mignon, fillet steak is a boneless cut that comes from the portion of the tenderloin closest to the ribs. Because this muscle is hardly worked in a cow’s lifetime, the cut is buttery soft when cooked correctly. The fat is trimmed off before it’s sold, making the fillet one of the leanest cuts you can find. This cut tends to be one of, if not the most expensive cut of steak due to significant amount of waste involved in butchering the cut for our customers. It’s melt-in-your-mouth tender and is typically both smaller and thicker than many other cuts. The 'Filet Mignon' is a fancy restaurant term for the smaller medallion pieces of fillet steak. This cut of meat has considerably less marbling than a ribeye, so why is it more expensive? Flavour! The tenderness of the fillet yields a mouthwatering delicate flavour profile that is entirely unique from the ribeye or sirloin steak. The fillet is often best enjoyed on the rare side or medium rare at most to maintain the delicate juicy flavour and tenderness.

The tenderloin is typically sold in two parts: the pointy bit that sticks into the short loin is the fillet, whilst the rest is known as the chateaubriand. Chateaubriand steak is just a fancy restaurant name given to a thicker cut of fillet that is generally used in oven roasts and to feed more than one. Our UK, USDA, and Wagyu filets are best suited to cooking on a pan or cast iron skillet at high heat. The Chateaubriand is fantastic for a roast, reverse sear, or Beef Wellington. If you’re looking for a desirable cut of beef for a special occasion, the filet makes a fantastic choice.

Here at That Fat Cow, we stock a range of Fillets, from our UK Dry Aged Fillet, the sublime USDA Prime Fillet to the incredible full blood wagyu 2GR Fillet which is akin to the Japanese wagyu.