Hi! Welcome to Sarah Kate’s! Today I want to go over the steps for a fool proof cast iron seared filet mignon. This is one of my favorite ways to quickly cook a steak and perfect if you don’t have access to a grill. Below are the detailed instructions as well as cast iron care and post cook cleaning tips! Comment below if you have any questions!

Ingredients

• Steak Cut of Your Choice (I used filet)
• Butter
• Garlic
• Fresh Thyme

Instructions

Start by generously seasoning your steaks with salt and pepper at least an hour before you cook. You want your steaks at room temperature for a more even cook.

Heat up you cast iron on Medium to High heat for about 5 minutes.

Add your steaks to the pan. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes. This should create a good sear on the outside.

Remove your steaks and put on a clean plate to the side. Lower the temperature to Medium heat. After waiting a minute or two, add three tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add back in the steaks. Cook for two minutes, then baste for 2-3 minutes. Do this on each side.

* You wait a couple minutes before adding the butter to let the pan cool slightly so the butter doesn’t brown too quickly *

Once again, remove your steaks to the clean plate. Add in three more tablespoons of butter, three garlic cloves, and the fresh thyme. The thyme will pop when you add it to the pan. Add the steaks back in for around 2 minutes then baste for another minute. Do this on each side.

The instructions above detail the timing for a medium rare steak. If you want a more cooked steak, add 1-2 minutes per step. If you want a rarer steak, deduct a minute or two from each step. I recommend using a meat thermometer on step three to make sure everything is cooked perfectly! Enjoy!

Cast Iron Cleaning Tips

Cast iron pans nowadays are so so user friendly! Personally, mine is one of my favorite pans to cook in. When cleaning, use a scraper to get all the charred bits off. If your pan is pre-seasoned, you can use soap. I use just a little to make sure its super clean. To keep the pan in perfect shape, dry it and add a little bit of high smoke oil. Spread it around with a paper towel then store! So easy!

Post Dinner Cleaning Tips

This is a great method for cooking a steak but can make a holy mess. When cooking, I would recommend wearing an apron to avoid grease splatters on your clothes. After, I use a mixture of vinegar and water in a spray bottle to wipe down the stove. Vinegar is your best friend. It cuts the grease, eliminates odors, and doesn’t smear. If you do have little smears left behind (rare but has happened) use a little dawn dish soap and water to clean the area then apply the vinegar solution again. No need to buy a bunch of crazy products! All you need is white distilled vinegar (which has multiple purposes), water, and a spray bottle.