You know what they say about butter. That “butter makes everything better”. And in the case of a beautifully cooked tenderloin or filet mignon, they are 100% correct.

Now some would argue that the meat alone is perfect and should be enjoyed au naturale. To this I say – phooey! If they truly want their meat “naked”, then try cooking it without as much as a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Now, that’s “natural”. But I’d bet my last pound of unsalted butter that no one would admit to enjoying a good steak without the requisite liberal sprinkling of salt and pepper just before cooking begins. Especially salt. Because salt stays on the surface of meat without dissolving. This helps the meat juices stay within the muscle fibers thus helping ensure a juicy steak. Of course, along with the salt, it is important to cook the steak at a very high temperature. The high heat helps form an evenly distributed and crispy brown crust. And in the case of meat cooked using this recipe, a lovely buttery crisp crust.

FYI: Our good friend Jim, who is truly a meat expert, prepares his steaks a bit differently. He brings the meat to room temperature, then at least an hour before he cooks the meat, he liberally sprinkles it with salt and presses it into the meat. Then he sets it aside. Salting ahead of time like this ensures the entire cut gets evenly flavored.  When salt is applied to raw meat, juices inside the meat are drawn to the surface. The salt then dissolves in the exuded liquid, forming a brine that is eventually reabsorbed by the meat.

Anyway, my point is, au naturale meat can be over-rated. Of course, I’m a lover of creamy and savory. So, for me, a lovely, flavored butter melting on a perfectly cooked steak is pure heaven. I could eat a great steak prepared this way weekly except for the obvious reasons. A) too much red meat is not good for me. B) Too much butter is not good for me. C) Expensive meat is not good for our budget!  So, I prepare this kind of an entrée only for very special occasions.

So, if you too have a special occasion coming up, I would recommend serving this steak. And I know. For special occasions we love to go out for dinner too. But with Covid, dining in one of our favorite restaurants has not been possible. So, I have made sure that any special occasions are still celebrated with as much fanfare and fine dining as possible. But, like you, I am really looking forward to having someone else do the cooking, table clearing, and dishes. But even as write that sentence, I’m reminded that the slight annoyance of not being able to dine out is only a problem to people for whom poverty is not a reality. And then I sit back, say a thank you prayer to every deity imaginable, and then lift my butt out of my comfortable chair and walk into my well-stocked kitchen and fix us something good to eat. We are the lucky ones. We have food in our freezer, clean water, a warm home, and enough of everything necessary to live happy and productive lives. I hope and pray the same for you.

Peace and love to all.  

2 beef tenderloin or filet mignon steaks (at least 1½-inches thick)

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

2 T. unsalted butter

Remove the steak from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking. (Having the steak at room temperature helps ensure that your cooking times are more accurate and the meat cooks more evenly.) Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Cook immediately.

Or use Jim’s method: salt the steak at least an hour before cooking. Then proceed to either cook as described below, or grill over high heat. Either way produces a really good product.

Using a cast iron pan if possible, add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and allow the skillet to become scorching hot before placing the steaks in the pan. Sear the first side undisturbed for 2 minutes. Carefully flip the steaks and sear the second side for 2 minutes. (This will give your steaks a lovely and tasty crust.)

Transfer the skillet directly to your pre-heated 425-degree oven. (The skillet handle may be hot, so work carefully.) For rare, bake for 3½ minutes. The internal temperature should reach 120 – 125-degrees. Medium rare, roughly 4-5 minutes to an internal temperature of 125-130-degrees. After that, don’t bother spending your hard-earned money on tenderloin or filet mignon. Might just as well buy a cheaper cut of beef and make stew!

When your steaks reach the desired internal temperature, remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, and lightly cover with aluminum foil. Leave alone for about 5 minutes.

To serve, plate the steaks topped with slices of your choice of flavored butter. (See choices below.)

Garlic Rosemary Butter

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

1½ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1½ tsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 lg. garlic clove, finely minced

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. (Don’t melt the butter.) Using a regulate table fork, mash in the rosemary, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap forming it as much as possible into a half stick of butter. Place in refrigerator until the steak comes out of the oven and is resting. (If you make the flavored butter way ahead of time, take it out of the refrigerator a good 30 minutes before you plan to use it.)   

Garlic Lemon Butter

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 T. minced fresh Italian parsley

1 tsp. lemon zest

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. (Don’t melt the butter.) Using a regulate table fork, mash in the garlic, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap forming it as much as possible into a half stick of butter. Place in refrigerator until the steak comes out of the oven and is resting. (If you make the flavored butter way ahead of time, take it out of the refrigerator a good 30 minutes before you plan to use it.)   

Blue Cheese and Fresh Thyme Butter

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

2 T. crumbled blue cheese, or more to taste

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. (Don’t melt the butter.) Using a regulate table fork, mash in the blue cheese, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap forming it as much as possible into a half stick of butter. Place in refrigerator until the steak comes out of the oven and is resting. (If you make the flavored butter way ahead of time, take it out of the refrigerator a good 30 minutes before you plan to use it.)   

Dried Porcini Mushroom, Garlic, and Fresh Chive Butter

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 sm. garlic clove, finely minced

4 tsp. chopped fresh chives

1 T. dried porcini mushroom powder*

pinch sea salt

Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. (Don’t melt the butter.) Using a regulate table fork, mash in the garlic, chives, mushroom powder, and salt. Scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap forming it as much as possible into a half stick of butter. Place in refrigerator until the steak comes out of the oven and is resting. (If you make the flavored butter way ahead of time, take it out of the refrigerator a good 30 minutes before you plan to use it.)

*Porcini mushroom powder can be purchased online or you can make it at home. Place dried mushrooms in your blender or spice grinder and let it whirl. (My spice grinder is an inexpensive coffee grinder dedicated just for the purpose of grinding herbs, spices, and anything other than coffee!)

Store mushroom powder in an airtight container. Great for adding depth of flavor to almost any dish that calls for mushrooms. And of course, any dried mushroom can be ground into powder.

Horseradish and Fresh Chive Butter

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

2 tsp. horseradish, or more to taste

4 tsp. chopped fresh chives

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. (Don’t melt the butter.) Using a regulate table fork, mash in the horseradish, chives, salt, and pepper. Scoop onto a piece of plastic wrap forming it as much as possible into a half stick of butter. Place in refrigerator until the steak comes out of the oven and is resting. (If you make the flavored butter way ahead of time, take it out of the refrigerator a good 30 minutes before you plan to use it.)