Filet Mignon…The Importance of Tying the Meat

June 4, 2010

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I know you’ve heard it before… and let’s face it, you’ve probably just ignored it, thinking…that’s an extra step, I don’t have butcher’s twine, the meat looks fine, it’s going to cook no matter what…..but trust me, there *is* a good reason to do the step, buy the twine and tie that meat!

And this picture says it all:

Will the meat cook tied or untied?  Sure it will.  The difference is, it won’t cook evenly.

The ends will cook before the middle and–especially with steak–you want it the way you want it.  You don’t want the 2-inches of the center to be your preferred medium-rare while the rest of it is well-done, now do you?  A quick tie takes care of all that.

And what it does for the presentation?  Look back at the picture.  It’s easy to see just how much better the tied filet looks…imagine it on your plate….Mmmm…!

But—you may be asking—Can I afford it?

I’m happy to tell you:  Yes you can! *smile*

Filet Mignon is a very expensive cut….so what I do to make it much more affordable and have it on my table much more often:  I wait for the whole filet to go on sale…(this seems to happen most often near a holiday weekend)…cook and eat what I’m going to cook and eat right away, and prep (including tying) and freeze the rest.

Now don’t balk–“Frozen Filet? Ugh!  There’s nothing like fresh!”

While it may not be *exactly* the same when it’s frozen and defrosted…. I’ve got to tell you, it still tastes pretty darn great!  *smile*

Just take care to wrap really well–I wrap each steak in plastic wrap then place in a zip bag–and defrost and cook in a timely manor….let’s say within 2-3 months….and I dare say no one will know that steak was frozen when they eat it!

When you factor in that you can cut the whole filet into any combination of steaks and roasts–in any size or thickness to suit your needs or fancy….*and* the fact that the price can be so dramatically different:  $12.99/lb. and up (try $24.99/lb here in NYC)  for individual steaks vs $6.99 down to $4.99 (yes, I’ve gotten it for $4.99/lb.–though not in NYC)  for the whole filet…*and on top of that* how much more often you get to enjoy this tender and delicious cut of meat…..

You can clearly see how worth it a little bit of tying-and-freezing can be!

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