Filet mignon is a premium cut known for its high fat content and marbling, so it generally doesn’t need a marinade. But, if you want to go all out with your steak, you can try this recipe!
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Components of an AMAZING Steak Marinade
A great marinade has a balanced blend of salt, acid, fats, and aromatics.
- Salt: This is a key player in the marinade’s flavor. So, go for something like coarse salt, soy sauce, or Worcestershire sauce
- Acid: You need some acid to help tenderize the beef and keep it from getting tough. Apple cider vinegar, lemon, or wine are all great choices.
- Fat: Most marinades include oil (think avocado, coconut, or vegetable) to balance out the acidity and keep the steak juicy while it cooks.
- Aromatics: These add layers of flavor. As such, toss in herbs like thyme and rosemary, plus garlic, onion, bay leaves, and even chili pepper if you want a little kick!
Recipe Ingredients
For this marinade, here’s what we’ll be working with:
- Dry red wine: As a rule of thumb, use the same type of wine you’ll be serving with the cooked steak. Medium-bodied to robust dry red wines, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, are perfect choices.
- Rib celery: Celery might not be the first thing you think of for a marinade, but it adds a subtle aromatic freshness that balances out the richness of the steak.
- Carrot: Carrots bring a touch of natural sweetness, which helps round out the flavors.
- Garlic: No marinade is complete without garlic! It infuses the steak with a bold, savory depth that complements the other ingredients beautifully.
- Bay leaves: When steeped in the marinade, they help tie all the ingredients together, creating a cohesive, fragrant base for your steak.
- Thyme: Its woodsy, slightly peppery flavor works wonders with red meat and adds a touch of sophistication to your dish.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Besides helping all the ingredients cling to the steak, olive oil ensures that the filet mignon retains moisture during the cooking process.
- Juniper berries: Here’s the wildcard ingredient — Juniper berries add a unique, piney, and pungent note that sets this marinade apart from the usual fare.
- Salt and pepper: Of course, you can’t forget the basics. Salt tenderizes the meat and brings out all the flavors, while black pepper adds just the right amount of spice.
Possible Variations
If you’re feeling a little adventurous, here are a couple of variations to mix things up:
- Add a splash of honey: Whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey to your marinade to help caramelize the crust for a touch of sweetness.
- Use citrus: Fresh citrus juice really brightens up this marinade. So, try tossing in a few slices of orange or lemon to give it a zesty kick.
Wine-Marinated Filet Mignon
Yield:
6 servings
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
15 minutes
Marinating Time:
3 hours
Total Time:
3 hours 25 minutes
A tender filet mignon marinated in dry red wine, aromatic vegetables, fresh herbs, and spices creates a rich, flavorful dish that's as elegant as it is easy to make!
Ingredients
- 6 filet mignon steaks (that are around 6 ounces each)
- 6 bacon strips (or pancetta slices)
- 2 cups of dry red wine
- 2 shallots (sliced thinly)
- 1 rib celery (chopped finely)
- 1 carrot (chopped finely)
- 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme)
- ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 10 to 12 juniper berries (crushed)
- Coarse salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons of salted butter (for serving)
Instructions
- Wrap a strip of bacon around the sides of each steak, then secure them using a butcher’s string. Then, set aside.
- In the meantime, grab a non-reactive bowl and stir in your wine, shallots, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Now, grab your olive oil and slather it all over your steak.
- Place the filet mignons in a non-reactive baking dish. Make sure the dish has high sides to keep the marinade from spilling over.
- After that, pour the wine mixture over the steaks and top each one with your crushed juniper berries. Place in the fridge (covered) for 2 to 4 hours, turning every hour or so.
- While waiting, set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. When you’re ready to cook, grease the grates with your remaining oil.
- Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat them dry before seasoning both sides with salt and pepper.
- Arrange them on the hot grill and cook for about 4 to 6 minutes per side to achieve medium-rare.
- Grill the bacon for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to get it crispy, then transfer your steaks to a platter and let them rest.
- As they’re cooling down, add your butter on top.
- Lastly, take out the strings and serve with a side of shallot marmalade!
Notes
Image credit to @ultramar.restaurant.
Featured image credit to @argentiniangrill_roatan.
