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    Home > Main Courses > Main Dishes Beef > Pan Seared Filet Mignon with Lobster Avocado Salsa

    Pan Seared Filet Mignon with Lobster Avocado Salsa

    Published: Oct 25, 2018 · Modified: Feb 18, 2020 by Lea Ann Brown · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Pan Seared Filet Mignon with Lobster Avocado Salsa

    This is a recipe for Pan Seared Filet Mignon topped with a luscious lobster avocado salsa. Could there be a more perfect steak recipe for that special occasion dinner? Pan seared and finished in the oven, this is an easy recipe for cooking filet mignon.

    Pan Seared Filet Mignon beef tenderloin steaks topped with lobster salsa

    I can’t tell you how many times we pan seared filet mignon steaks in Culinary School. It was fast, and an easy way to feed the entire class for lunch.

    The blazing gas stove burners would be covered with French Steel fry pans, each holding two steaks. At high heat the steaks were seared, turning once and then easily finished in the oven.

    I appreciate this lavish lunch fare because I’m now fearless when it comes to cooking filet mignon indoors. I’m no longer afraid that I’ll over-cook, under-cook or heaven forbid, burn it to a crisp.

    And the best take-away is that I’m not afraid of cooking over high heat. As long as I have the correct pan.

    What’s The Best Pan to Sear Steaks for Stove Top Steak Recipes?

    This could be a matter of opinion, but the opinion at Culinary School was steadfast about using a French Steel pan. Restaurant chefs use these pans for all kinds of kitchen tasks. They are carbon steel skillets and their strength is in retaining heat. This makes them ideal for searing steaks or crisping chicken skin.

    And when seasoned correctly, they take on a non-stick quality. Which means you should be able to cook an egg or omelet in them. I’ve only had mine at home for less than a year and haven’t tried cooking an egg yet. I’ll get back to you on that one. For now I’ll keep that non-stick skillet as my go-to for more delicate fare like eggs.

    French steel pans can be taken directly from stove top to oven, making them an excellent tool for meat. Cast iron skillets perform these same tasks and very well, but I must say, I admire the lighter weight of the carbon steel over the heavier cast iron.

    With that said, let’s pan sear some steaks.

    How to pan sear a perfect filet mignon steak:

    • Heat a French Steel pan over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add clarified butter or oil. I like vegetable oil here.
    • When the butter is melted and bubbles subside, or the oil is hot, carefully lay the steaks in the pan, sprinkle on a little salt and pepper and let them sear until you have a nice brown crust on each side. About three minutes per side. It’s ok to turn the steak several times, or let it sit undisturbed on each side until browned. Your preference.
    • I prefer to use tongs to turn a pan seared steaks. That’s even though I’ve read a fork really won’t drain all the juice and flavor out of a steak.
    • Transfer the pan to the oven pre-heated to 400 degrees.
    • This is where the second most important tool comes into play to finish these steaks. That’s a good digital instant read meat thermometer.
    • Don’t depend on a unit of time for finishing the steak. All steaks are not the same thickness. Using a probe thermometer to test the steak’s inner temperature. Cook steaks to a temperature of 120 degrees for rare, and 125 – 130 for medium rare. 140 degrees for medium. Check the temperature every few minutes.

    Instant Read Digital Thermometer:

    I have several and use each for different tasks. I find my Deiss Pro to work best for quick temperature checks for recipes like this pan-seared filet mignon. It’s got a large handle, easy to maneuver when fishing inside the oven, it’s easy to use, easy to read, and best of all, it’s got a long probe which leaves me less nervous about burning myself. It also works great on both small and large pieces of meat.

    Deiss instant read digital thermometer

    Deiss has provided me several of their cooking tools, free of charge. They are high quality gadgets that I use nearly every day. My opinions are my own, I highly recommend their products. As did Best Reviews guide, placing it in the top 10.

    deiss instant read digital thermometer

    Give Away: Deiss has generously offered to send one of my readers a Digital Meat Thermometer for free. To enter, please leave a comment to this post indicating you’d like to win the thermometer. Winner will be chosen randomly. End date for the contest is November 7, 2018.

    pan seared filet mignon steaks with lobster avocado salsa

    Recipe for Pan Seared Filet Mignon with Lobster Avocado Salsa:

    We absolutely loved, loved, loved this combination of flavors.

    The slightly spicy bite of steak with the creamy decadent lobster salsa is absolutely divine. And what a beautiful surprise to serve the steak over richly flavored beans. I used my recipe for Bolita Beans with Red Wine. But you can make it easier by just opening a can of beans. There are many brands available that offer seasoned options.

    I did not purchase a whole lobster or lobster tail for this recipe, but found lobster meat packaged in the fresh seafood section at Whole Foods. It was a perfect amount for two servings of salsa for this recipe.

    This recipe comes compliments of Elway’s. A very popular, very highly regarded steak house here in Colorado.

    I hope you give this pan seared filet mignon recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.

    Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes. And if you have a favorite filet mignon recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

    pan seared filet mignon steaks with lobster avocado salsa

    Pan Seared Filet Mignon with Lobster Avocado Salsa

    Pan-seared Filet Mignon topped with a luscious Lobster Salsa. Could there be a more perfect steak recipe for that special occasion dinner? Pan-seared and finished in the oven, this is an easy recipe for cooking filet mignon.
    4.85 from 19 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course Beef
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 993kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 2 Filet Mignon Beef Tenderloin Steaks
    • 1 ounce canola oil
    • 1 tablespoon New Mexico chile powder or Ancho
    • 2 tablespoon clarified butter or vegetable oil
    • black pepper to taste
    • Salsa
    • 6 ounces lobster meat chopped
    • 1/2 avocado ripe and 1/4 inch dice
    • 1 green onion thin sliced
    • 1 tablespoon jalapeno pepper veins and seeds removed, fine diced
    • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
    • 2 cups seasoned beans for serving
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Marinade steaks in a mixing bowl with 1 ounce oil, New Mexico Chile Powder and pepper. Mix together, turning steaks to coat and leave at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking.
    • To make salsa, in a mixing bowl, combine lobster meat, avocado, green onions, jalapeno and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and gently combine. Adjust seasonings.
    • To pan sear steaks:
      Heat a French steel pan ( or cast iron skillet ) over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add clarified butter or oil. I prefer vegetable oil.
      When the oil is hot, carefully lay the steaks in the butter. Sear until you have a nice brown crust on each side. About 2 minutes per side.
      Transfer the pan to a pre-heated 400 degree oven.
      Using a probe thermometer to test the steak’s inner temperature, cook steaks to a temperature of 120 degrees for rare, and 125 – 130 for medium rare.
    • To serve: Place equal amounts of beans on plate. Arrange steaks on top. Place a dollop of salsa of steaks. Sprinkle the salsa with a pinch of New Mexico Red Chile Powder and serve.

    Notes

    I prefer vegetable oil for pan searing steaks. It’s more predictable. Clarified butter is a very popular oil to use. It adds a butter flavor and it great to use for basting the steak while pan searing. Be careful, it can burn – it’s a little more finicky.  Clarified butter can be made at home or purchased at the grocery store.
    Steaks can also be grilled. 
    Use my recipe for (Pinto Beans) Bolita Beans with Red Wine and Jalapeno. Or for a quick fix, season canned beans:
    To quickly season canned beans: In a sauce pan, empty beans. Add 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, New Mexico or Ancho chile powder, cumin, Mexican oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through and adjust seasonings to your liking. 
    This is a recipe inspired by Elway’s Restaurant in Denver.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 993kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 72g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 257mg | Sodium: 1071mg | Potassium: 1499mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1750IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 7.7mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lannisam or tag #CookingOnTheRanch!

    I’m sharing this recipe over at Meal Plan Monday – Check it out.

    Products I used for pan seared filet mignon:

    I am a member of the Amazon Affiliate partnership. If you order one of these products, I receive a small commission from your purchase, but at absolutely no additional cost to you.

    More Beef Recipes

    • Mexican Beef Machaca Recipe
    • Jacques Pepin’s Beef Stew In Red Wine
    • Braised Mexican Short Ribs
    • Beef Tagliata (Italian Steak)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Barbara stafford says

      November 03, 2019 at 7:19 am

      Please enter me to win your meat thermometer!!

      Reply
    2. Kevin says

      June 13, 2019 at 2:10 pm

      4 stars
      This looks fantastic and I have eaten at Elway’s many years ago. Please enter me for the digital meat thermometer.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        June 14, 2019 at 11:15 am

        Hi Kevin, Elways is a beautiful restaurant, lovely atmosphere and a lovely place for a special meal. I appreciate you stopping in and the comment. Always love hearing from my readers. Unfortunately the digital meat thermometer contest is over. Watch for future partnership with Deiss – they’re very generous. 🙂

        Reply
    3. b says

      November 04, 2018 at 8:34 am

      5 stars
      Lovely.
      Would love to win the pen.
      Always wanted one.

      Reply
    4. Lori says

      November 02, 2018 at 11:55 pm

      I would like to win the instant read thermometer. I have lost a great deal of my sight due to Leukemia and love to cook but I need help with reading the temps.

      Reply
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    I'm Lea Ann, A Culinary School Grad bringing you Wild West Colorado inspired recipes. You'll find lots of Southwestern, and Mexican food recipes, and some favorites from Culinary School along with pro cooking tips. If you're an adventurous home cook looking to spice up your meal plans, you'll find plenty of inspiration and reliable, approachable, easy to follow recipes.

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