DRY-BRIND PEPPERED FILETS MIGNONS WITH CUTTING BOARD SAUCE
Serves: 4
Method: Direct grilling
Prep time: 1 hour for dry-brining; plus 10 minutes for the sauce Grilling time: 8-10 minutes Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal, wood or gas. You also need 2 hardwood chunks or 1 cup (250 mL) unsoaked wood chips (optional); a small (6- to 8-inch/15- to 20-cm) skillet; a wire rack set over a sheet pan; a cutting board with a well. 4 filet mignon steaks (each 170 to 226g/6-8 oz and at least 2 inches/5 cm thick) Coarse salt (sea or kosher) Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
1/2 cup (125 mL) cracked black peppercorns, spread out in a shallow bowl
Cutting Board Sauce (recipe follows)
1. Arrange the filets mignons in a baking dish. Generously salt each on both sides. (Tip: Sprinkle the salt from a height of 6 inches/15 cm for even distribution.) Drybrine the steaks in the refrigerator for 1 hour, uncovered, turning them once.
2. Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to mediumhigh. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well.
3. Dip each filet mignon in cracked black pepper to crust the top and bottom. Arrange the steaks on the grill grate. Grill for 1 1/2 minutes, then give each steak a quarter turn to lay on a cross-hatch of grill marks. When the bottom is sizzling and browned (you may see beads of blood start to form on the top), turn the steaks and grill the other side the same way. Grill the steaks on the sides, too, to expose all surfaces to the heat.
4. You’ll need about 3 minutes per side for rare (120-125 F/4952 C); 4 minutes per side for medium-rare (130-135 F/5457 C); 5 minutes per side for medium (140-145 F/60-63 C). Use an instant-read thermometer inserted through the side of the steak to check for doneness.
5. Transfer the filets mignons to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to rest for a minute or so before serving. (The wire rack keeps the bottoms from getting soggy.)
6. Serve the steaks with Cutting Board Sauce as outlined below.
CUTTING BOARD SAUCE
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 cup (125 mL) stemmed flatleaf parsley or other fresh herbs 2 scallions, trimmed
1 red jalapeno or serrano pepper Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup (80 mL) best-quality extra virgin olive oil, in a small bowl
1. Working on a large cutting board with a well (a juice-catching groove usually around the periphery), finely chop the garlic and parsley. Thinly slice the scallions ( both white and green parts) and the pepper crosswise. Season generously with salt and pepper and pour half the olive oil on top. Mix with the blade of the knife.
2. Remove the hot filets mignons from the grill and lay them directly on top of the ingredients on the cutting board. Cut each steak with downward strokes of the knife into 1/4-inch thick (6-mm-thick) slices. (There is no need to let the meat rest.) Pour the remaining olive oil over the sliced steaks and toss on the board with a spoon and the blade of the knife: The idea is to coat the steak slices with herbs and oil and mix them with the meat juices. Add salt and pepper to taste. The whole process should take less than a minute. Transfer to a platter or plates and serve at once.