Published July 1, 2003.
Tying any unevenly cut or oddly shaped filets with butcher's twine was the key to uniformly cooked meat for our grilled filets mignons recipe. A hot fire seared the exterior of the steaks, concentrating the flavor by forming a deep brown, crisp, aromatic crust. To add even more flavor to our grilled filet mignon recipe, we drizzled the steaks with olive oil and served them with lemon wedges.
For seasoning the steaks, we prefer coarse-grained kosher salt because it's easier to sprinkle than fine-grained table salt. For grilling the steaks, we prefer hotter-burning hardwood charcoal, though regular briquettes are fine, too. If you use briquettes, use one large chimney-full (about 6 pounds); you may also have to sear the steaks about 30 seconds longer per side. If the filets are misshapen or unevenly cut, as supermarket steaks sometimes are, tie each one before grilling.
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