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Eye fillet, also known as fillet steak, beef fillet and beef tenderloin, is one of the best quality and most premium cuts of beef available. And guess what? You don’t need to be a chef to cook it to perfection! Eye fillet steak is lean, fork-tender and very healthy. It is also highly versatile – you can roast it whole, slice it into thin steaks or wrap it in bacon to create a world-class fillet mignon.
In this post, we’re focusing on how to make delicious eye fillet steaks.
How to Prepare Eye Fillet Steak
The first thing you need to do with your eye fillet is lay it out on a cutting board and remove any excess fat. Once you have done this, you need to use a sharp knife to remove the ‘silverskin’ (the white and silvery coloured connective tissue you can see on the outside of the tenderloin).
When removing the silverskin, make sure that you cut away from yourself and keep the blade as flat as possible when stripping underneath the connective tissue. Once you’ve removed the fat and the silverskin, you have a prime cut of eye fillet on your hands! Now all you need to do is cut the eye fillet into slices (about 3-4 centimetres in thickness) and you are ready to get grilling.
How to Cook Eye Fillet Steaks
Once you have sliced the fillet into steak portions, coat the eye fillet steaks with some salt, pepper and a splash of oil. Make sure that your steaks are at room temperature when you are ready to cook them (i.e. take them out of the fridge approximately 1 hour before cooking), as this will ensure an optimum internal steak temperature after cooking.
When you’re ready to start cooking, heat the frying pan on high until it is hot. Once the pan is hot, place the steaks in the pan (if the eye fillet steaks don’t sizzle when they hit the pan, it isn’t yet hot enough). Reduce the heat to medium. Leave the steaks on one side (without touching them or prodding them) for approximately 3-4 minutes. Turn them over with a pair of tongs and leave for another 3-4 minutes. Make sure that you only turn your eye fillet steak once, as this will preserve the flavours. When ready, the outside of the steak should be brown and crisp.
To test your steaks for doneness, you need to press them gently with the tip of the tongs (or your finger). Rare should be soft to touch, well done should be firm and medium should be in between the two. Take the eye fillet steaks off the heat and let them rest for 4-5 minutes before serving, as this relaxes the tissues and ensures juiciness and tenderness.
Using a Thermometer?
Using a thermometer is a great way to ensure perfectly cooked steaks and roasts, every time. When your meat is done the internal temperature of the meat will be:
- Rare 60ºC
- Medium rare 60-65ºC
- Medium 65-70ºC
- Medium well done 70ºC
- Well done 75ºC
And there you have it! Delicious eye fillet steaks! Why not invite some friends round and show them your new steak cooking skills?
Want to add some extra flavour to your meat? Check out 6 Steps for Making Delicious Beef Marinades and our Simple but Tasty BBQ Beef Rubs.
