Reverse Seared Fillet Steak

Learn how to reverse sear a fillet steak that’s perfectly tender & pink from edge-to-edge. Includes exact temperatures & timings for steakhouse quality results at home.

Reverse searing takes the risk out of cooking an expensive fillet steak. This method gives you incredibly tender meat that’s perfectly pink from edge to edge with a deep, well seared crust that’s crucial for flavour. We’re cooking to temperature, not time so there’s no guesswork, just restaurant quality steak at home!

Fillet is one of the most premium cuts of steak you can buy so getting it right is key. By slowly bringing the internal temperature of the beef up to your ideal doneness first before finishing with a hard sear, you get complete control over how it’s cooked whilst getting the best, caramelised crust. It’s all about the Maillard reaction! For extra beefiness, I served mine with my roasted bone marrow butter!

For sides to serve with your steak, check out our ever growing collection of side dish recipes! There’s lots to choose from here, from triple cooked chips, to salads, homemade breads & lots more…

Why This Method Works

• Evenly Cooked Meat
  Reversing searing guarantees meat that’s pink all over, with no grey band of overcooked steak at the edges.
• Complete Control Over Doneness
  As we’re cooking to temperature, you cook your steak exactly how you like it!
• Maximum Flavour
  Reverse seared steak can be seared over a higher heat, which maximises the Maillard reaction & gives the meat a deeper, more flavourful crust.
• Foolproof Steak
  As the steaks cooks more slowly, there’s less room for error. Checking the internal temperature means that you know exactly how your steak is cooked.

Ingredients For Reverse Seared Fillet Steak

• Fillet Steaks – For reverse searing, you’ll need to use thick-cut steaks that are at least an inch thick. I used 8 ounce steaks but this method works with larger cuts of steak as well.
• Salt & Pepper – Used to season the steaks before & after cooking. Use table salt to season the raw steaks & sea salt to finish once cooked. Use freshly cracked black pepper for both.
• Oil – You’ll need a small amount of veg oil to sear the steaks (or any oil with a high smoke point).
• Butter – Adding butter into the pan when searing the steaks helps give them a richer, deeply browned crust. This is optional though.
• Garlic & Herbs – Adding fresh garlic, rosemary & thyme in with the butter adds extra flavour.

How To Reverse Sear Fillet Steak

Reverse searing is the best way to cook a steak when you want it to be perfectly pink from edge to edge! This method takes slightly longer to cook the steak than just pan frying them but the results speak for themselves. Steaks cooked by reverse searing are more tender & as they’re cooked more slowly, there’s less chance of the meat becoming overcooked.

For those new to reverse searing, this is where steak (or larger joints of meat) is cooked at a low temperature; either in an oven or barbecue until it reaches your desired doneness then it’s seared in a smoking hot pan to finish. This is why it’s called reverse searing, because the steak is seared at the end rather than at the beginning.

Reverse Searing Step By Step

1. Seasoning The Steak

First, take the steaks out of the fridge, season them generously with salt & pepper then let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. This is called tempering the steak & helps it cook more evenly. In the meantime, preheat an oven to 120°c/250°f.

2. Cooking To Temperature

To cook the steaks, place them onto a wire rack set inside a roasting tin then cook gently until it reaches our desired doneness. It’s best to flip the steaks over every 10 minutes or so, which also helps with even cooking.

I like to cook my fillet steak medium rare, so I aim for a final internal temperature of 54°c/130°f once cooked. You’ll need to take the steak out of the oven a couple degrees lower than this as the internal temperature will continue to rise after the steaks are taken out of the oven. Feel free to cook your steaks however you like though. There’s a full doneness/temperature guide below.

3. Searing

Once cooked, let the steaks rest for 5 minutes or so, whilst you heat a frying pan up over a high heat, until it is smoking hot (this is key!). Using a cast iron skillet would be even better!

Next, add a small amount of veg oil into the pan then sear the steaks for 1 – 1½ minutes on each side, flipping them over every 30 seconds. It’s important to get your pan really hot before searing so that the steaks get a proper sear. And using a high smoke point oil means that we can get the oil hotter.

I like to throw some butter, garlic & herbs into the pan after I’ve flipped the steak over once, to add flavour and to help with browning. This is optional though!

Slicing

Once cooked, there’s no need to rest the steaks. All you need to do is slice the meat against the grain then season with sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper.

Steak Internal Temperature Guide

Fillet steak contains very little fat so is best cooked either rare or medium but feel free to cook your’s however you like! You’ll need a digital food probe to check the steak’s internal temperature but these are readily available online. I use a Thermapen.

Steak Doneness	Internal Temperature (To Stop Cooking)	Internal Temperature (After Resting)
Rare	46°c/115°f	48°c/120°f
Medium Rare	52°c/125°f	54°c/130°f
Medium	58°c/136°f	60°c/140°f
Medium Well	63°c/145°f	65°c/150°f
Well Done	68°c/154°f	70°c/158°f

Pro Tips For Perfectly Cooked Fillet Steaks

• Use Thick Cut Steaks
  Reverse searing works best with steaks that are at least an inch thick.
• Cook From Room Temperature
  Let your steak sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This is called tempering the steak & helps it cook more evenly.
• Use A Digital Food Probe
  To cook your steak perfectly, use a digital food probe to check the meat’s internal temperature.
• Sear In A Smoking Hot Pan
  For the best sear, get your pan smoking hot. Make sure to flip the steaks every 30 seconds to get an even.
• Slice Against The Grain
  When slicing your steak, make sure to cut against the grain to make each slice as tender as possible.

Troubleshooting Reverse Seared Steak

Here’s some common issues people face when cooking steak at home and how to avoid them.

There’s A Grey Band Around The Edge

With reverse seared steak, this can happen if your pan wasn’t hot enough when you seared the steak. To avoid a grey band of meat around the edge, get your pan smoking hot before adding in the steak and turn it every 30 seconds to get an even sear.

My Steak Didn’t Sear Properly

If your steak has a pale crust, your pan wasn’t hot enough to sear it properly. To avoid this, make sure to let your pan & oil heat up for at least 2 minutes.

My Steak Is Cold

If your steak is cold, you either let it rest for too long before searing or let it sit for too long once sliced. Reverse seared fillet steak will only need to rest for 5 minutes before being seared & should be sliced & served straight after being seared.

My Steak Is Tough

If your fillet steak is tough, it’s either been over cooked or sliced with grain. As fillet is a lean cut of steak it’s best cooked rare or medium rare.

Serving Suggestions

Fillet steak goes really well with flavoured butters, classic steak sauces (like peppercorn & Béarnaise), and other sides such as chips, salad, roasted veg, homemade bread & lots more! I served mine with some of my roasted bone marrow & marmite butter. We’ve got loads of really good sides to choose from over in our side dish collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Dinner Recipes To Try!

• Black Garlic Hanger Steaks
• BBQ Lamb Kofta Meatballs
• Beef Wellington
• Nduja Stuffed Porchetta
• Tex Mex Chicken Thighs
• Crispy Sriracha & Peanut Chicken Wings

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