Need ideas for old filet mignon.

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buckytom

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i recently defrosted a block of trimmed beef tenderloin pieces that were leftover from a whole tenderloin that i bought almost a year ago. i pan fried a few slices as filet mignon steaks (i ran out of gas in the grill) the other day, but while it was ok, it wasn't as good as one would expect cooked simply with salt and pepper.

so, i was thinking what else i could do with the remaining meat. i'm guessing it's a little less than a pound of cow flesh.

my first thought was steak kew, but then i drew a blank for other ideas, so i figured i would ask here.

what would you do with beef tenderloin that was not the greatest quality anymore?
 
beef stroganoff
beef and broccoli
fajita's
spicy steak house soup


 
My first choice would be patty's beef stroganof, but also a fancy version of hash -- chop the beef with some potatoes and onions (cook the potatoes and onions first, add the beef later so as not to over-cook), then fry or poach eggs and put on top or to the side. Serve with a bottle of champagne for a super brunch. (fruit of some kind as a side dish).
 
Maybe marinate it to get some flavor into it, something with rosemary, then make a stew with the beef, pearl onions, and mushrooms and server over a baked potato.
 
Marinate it for a couple of hours and then either stir fry it or do it with some onions and make a philly cheesesteak sandwich.
 
thanks for all of the great replies, everyone. i will keep them in mind the next time a well intentioned steak spends some time in my fridge.

since beef tenderloin is fairly lean, i was trying to think of another way of making it utilizing a quick cooking technique.

well, it ended up not mattering. my son wanted "that soft steak" that i'd made the othe day, so i just marinated 2 big pieces in kosher salt, cracked pink peppercorns, and balsamic vinegar, and simply grilled them along with chicken breasts and peaches.

they turned out very good. the balsamic vinegar did just enough to hide any stale taste on the surface, and the center was still tasty cooked rare/medium rare.
 
Buckytom,
I read your post on: Need new ideas for old filet mignon.
I face the same problem because where I live (Southern part of Mexico) good quality beef is not available. This is what I came up with; to add some flavor the tasteless piece:

I lb beef tenderloin (cut into medallions)
1 clove of garlic (pressed)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 TBS olive oil
2 TBS brandy
½ cup dry white wine

½ lb mushrooms
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup beef stock
1 tsp corn starch .

Make a paste with pressed garlic, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Rub it into the beef and set aside. In a skillet, over medium heat, briefly cook mushrooms with oil and parsley.
Preheat a griddle pan. Cook meat to your liking Flame with the brandy. Remove meat from the pan and turn off burner. Immediately add the ½ cup of white wine. There should be sufficient heat in the pan to partially evaporate the wine. Add this beef liquid to mushrooms, bring it back to boil and add cornstarch mixed with the 1/3 beef stock. As soon as it thickens add beef medallions and serve immediately.
 
I'm thinking stir fry, with a lite Soy Sauce marinade. The recipe I posted for making vlevet chicken would be ideal.. Cook with a few mushrooms, some sliced water chestnuts, season with black, onion, garlic, and maybe a touch of ginger, together with pepper and a little cornstarch to coat everything. just be careful not to overcook the beef cubes. Oh, and add some bias sliced carrot and celery to the mix.

Another idea, again, marinate in lite soy sauce, a little Sriracha, Tobasco Sauce, Onion, and Garlic powder. Refridgerate for two hours in the marinade. Use it to make a sauce. Dice the meat, and saute with mushrooms and cilantro, with a squeeze of lime over top. Serve over Spanish Rice, or in burritoes with refried beans and guacamole.

Add lardoons of bacon to the filet, wrap with bacon, grill over a solid bed of charcoal. Let the smoke from the dripping fat flavor the meat. Top with swicc cheese and serve on a toasted English muffin, dressed with whatever sauce suits your taste.

Cook it soo vide (sp) with flavorful herbs such as rosemary and basil.

Overcook it badly, until its rubbery and use for indoor hockey (I know that that's normal for you household, Bucky:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:).

On that note, marinate it with the appropriate seasonings and turn it into a big piece of beef jerky.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
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