# A filet mignon well done?!?! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942 "2016-02-24T03:11:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/41 "2016-02-24T13:45:56Z")
What’s the big yank? I happen to like my steaks well done. I’ll even dip it in catsup. I just don’t feel like seeing blood all over the place when I eat. If you like yours rare, whatever floats your boat. If we both enjoy eating what we like, what’s the problem? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/42 "2016-02-24T13:53:23Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > What’s the big yank? I happen to like my steaks well done. I’ll even dip it in catsup. I just don’t feel like seeing blood all over the place when I eat. If you like yours rare, whatever floats your boat. If we both enjoy eating what we like, what’s the problem? My only “Huh?” Is over the fact that a well done $12 steak is pretty much indistinguishable from a $32 butterflied well done filet. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/43 "2016-02-24T14:10:33Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > My only “Huh?” Is over the fact that a well done $12 steak is pretty much indistinguishable from a $32 butterflied well done filet. I guess I’d have to do a taste test to verify. My experience has been that the better the steak, the better the taste even when well done. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/44 "2016-02-24T14:13:13Z")
Do what you like to a filet. I don’t really care for it. A rare/med-rare ribeye is my favorite of all. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/45 "2016-02-24T14:23:24Z")
Just to check, what would you steak snobs say about a filet mignon **medium** well? 😉 That’s my sweet spot for most steaks. I do find it a little tastier than well done. When you get to medium, not only do I often find it less tasty, but also hard to chew and unpleasant to eat. _shrug_ To each their own, I say. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/46 "2016-02-24T14:26:50Z")
I am a human being. I live in a house. I wear clothes. And I _cook_ my food. These things separate me from lesser beasts. Meanwhile, my 8-year-old daughter is gnawing on something a skilled vet could save. I prefer a T-bone, but I’ll cook it any way I like. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/47 "2016-02-24T14:44:53Z")
I actually think it’s been well over a decade since I ordered filet anywhere _other_ than at a japanese steakhouse, where it’s either that or sirloin when it comes to beef. Gimme the ribeye any day. Anyway, if somebody wants to order their filet well done, more power to 'em. I just don’t _get_ it, because there’s very little point. It’s like buying a pound of sushi grade bluefin tuna and then cooking it up to make tuna salad. Fine, do your thing, but it’s an objective waste. The cooking process is destroying the gradients that make the tuna valuable. But no, I’m not going to “lose my shit” over it. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/48 "2016-02-24T14:55:24Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Same here. Unless I know the restaurant or it’s a well respected steakhouse, I generally have to order one grade of doneness below what I want to get what I want, especially with hamburgers. I’ve never gotten it happen the other way to me–the error always seems to be on the side of overcooking. Weirdly, it’s exactly the opposite here, as least as far as burgers go. I’ve learned to order medium if I want medium-rare. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/49 "2016-02-24T14:57:19Z")
Filet mignon well done is just a flaming yawn, amirite? ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/50 "2016-02-24T14:58:03Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’m going to go waaaaaaay out on a limb, here, and guess, “She likes the way it tastes.” Like beef jerky no doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/51 "2016-02-24T15:19:27Z")
Well-done filet mignon is just pot roast. If it makes you happy, go for it - hell, slather it in ketchup if you like - but you’re missing the point of purchasing and eating “filet mignon”, particularly as you could get the same or better effect with a cheaper cut. Might as well ask them to cook your sashimi for you while you’re at it. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/52 "2016-02-24T15:22:04Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > You make it sound like you have to take out a mortgage to buy one. Even someone on a budget can buy one in the supermarket and cook it themselves. Maybe not weekly but it’s not going to break the bank. You can get a decent filet at a chain like Texas Roadhouse for not too much money. > > Most steak aficionados will not rank a filet mignon as one of the best. People like it because it is tender but the lack of fat means it’s not as flavorful as other cuts. It may have had something to do with the way it was cooked. In my case, it was cooked by a professional chef. I don’t know how much of the taste was due to the cut of meat and how much was due to the way in which it was prepared. But it was the best steak I have ever tasted. The best “steak dinner” I’ve ever tasted was a Porterhouse Steak in Las Vegas at the Horseshoe Casino’s steak house. I think much of the reason had to do with the mushrooms it came with. When I ordered the steak, I asked for it to come with mushrooms and I told the waiter that I would trust the chef to prepare the mushrooms any way that chef thought was best. It came with a side dish of mushrooms and it also came “smothered” in mushrooms. It was the best meal I have ever had. But maybe the \*\*“best meal I ever had” \*\*should be a separate thread? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/53 "2016-02-24T15:39:41Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > It may have had something to do with the way it was cooked. In my case, it was cooked by a professional chef. > > I don’t know how much of the taste was due to the cut of meat and how much was due to the way in which it was prepared. But it was the best steak I have ever tasted. > > The best “steak dinner” I’ve ever tasted was a Porterhouse Steak in Las Vegas at the Horseshoe Casino’s steak house. I think much of the reason had to do with the mushrooms it came with. When I ordered the steak, I asked for it to come with mushrooms and I told the waiter that I would trust the chef to prepare the mushrooms any way that chef thought was best. > > It came with a side dish of mushrooms and it also came “smothered” in mushrooms. It was the best meal I have ever had. > > But maybe the \*\*“best meal I ever had” \*\*should be a separate thread? Porterhouse is my favorite cut. No doubt that a professional chef using top equipment will do a better job. I like a nice sear on the outside of my medium steak. I can never seem to get the right kind of sear at home. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/54 "2016-02-24T15:49:59Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > It may have had something to do with the way it was cooked. In my case, it was cooked by a professional chef. I would bet a million bucks it was the butter. Steaks are often cooked and basted in butter in high end restaurants giving an amazing taste and excellent sear on the outside. Plus the cut is often one step above the regular cut you can get even in good markets. Damn. Now I want a steakhouse steak. But I’d still prefer a ribeye. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/55 "2016-02-24T15:50:14Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I can never seem to get the right kind of sear at home. How do you go about attempting your sear? I’ve had best results using a reverse-sear method, starting in a low oven and finishing on a very hot charcoal grill. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/56 "2016-02-24T15:58:05Z")
At least it was filet mignon and not a decent-tasting steak. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/57 "2016-02-24T17:05:09Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I just don’t feel like seeing blood all over the place when I eat. Even a completely raw steak would have no blood in it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/58 "2016-02-24T17:05:48Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > What’s the big yank? I happen to like my steaks well done. I’ll even dip it in catsup. I just don’t feel like seeing blood all over the place when I eat. If you like yours rare, whatever floats your boat. If we both enjoy eating what we like, what’s the problem? Well done steaks AND you call ketchup “catsup?” I just don’t understand some people. If you announce your support for circumcised cats, this will be a total bloodbath, and not the delicious medium rare kind. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/59 "2016-02-24T17:27:41Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Porterhouse is my favorite cut. No doubt that a professional chef using top equipment will do a better job. I like a nice sear on the outside of my medium steak. I can never seem to get the right kind of sear at home. Heat a cast iron skillet in your oven at 500f until it is very hot then pull it out, put it on your burner on high and sear the steak on both sides. Put it back in the oven and use a digital thermometer to get it to the desired internal temperature. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942/60 "2016-02-24T17:50:29Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Well-done filet mignon is just pot roast. If it makes you happy, go for it - hell, slather it in ketchup if you like - but you’re missing the point of purchasing and eating “filet mignon”, particularly as you could get the same or better effect with a cheaper cut. I like filet mignon well done and you’re quite simply wrong about this - there _is_ a difference in taste and texture that you don’t get from other cuts. If you think “well done” means “dry and not tender”, then you haven’t had well done steak made by someone who knows what they’re doing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-filet-mignon-well-done/746942.md?page=4)