Cooking Beef Fillet at Home

Beef Fillet is one of the more expensive cuts of meat and it is something you either absolutely love - or don't. Very lean and tender, with much less flavour than other prime cuts.

In this recipe, by our Executive Chef Fran Martinez, we are treating it like fish, by cooking it in a salt crust, making sure it retains all the juices inside. Fran told us this recipe is quite a show-off dish to impress guests with, Fazendeiros.

It is important to ask your butcher for the middle part of the beef fillet called 'Filet Mignon', as it cooks more evenly.

Ingredients:

600/700g filet mignon

1kg coarse salt

2 eggs

1 tbsp black pepper

½ tbsp turmeric

¼ thyme bunch (fresh)

2 garlic cloves

 

Method:

 

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1. As with every beef recipe, start by taking the meat out of the fridge at least 1 hour ahead for it to be at room temperature before cooking. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Next, we will need to crack the eggs and use just the whites. It's now time to fit in some exercise. Place them in a bowl and whisk the egg whites for about one minute. Add the salt, chopped garlic, thyme, cracked black pepper and turmeric and mix them all together to form a paste.

3. Spread some of the salt paste over the bottom of a baking tray and place the fillet on top. Cover the fillet with the remaining paste and use your hands to make sure it's all covered. 

4. Time to cook! We would recommend cooking this for just 15 minutes for a medium-rare result. Although it doesn't sound like very long, we need to consider that the salt is already cooking the meat too, so it speeds up the process. If you like your beef more cooked add 3 minutes for medium, and 6 minutes for well-done. Once cooked, leave it to rest for 7 minutes before slicing.

5. To serve, use a knife to remove the salt crust and discard it. Move the fillet from the crust, brushing all excess salt, and place it over a board to be sliced at your taste.

 

 

Please tag us on Instagram  if this is something you try, as we - especially Fran - love to see your creations, Fazendeiros.