We love steak in the Foodie with Family household, but because it’s costly, it’s reserved for special occasions. Recently I asked my husband—just as I had the Foodie with Family Facebook community—“If you could have one meal made of any foods and money or health weren’t an issue, what would you choose?” He didn’t hesitate: “Surf and turf: bacon-wrapped filet mignon with lobster, mashed potatoes with gravy, rice pilaf, sushi, and endless plates of that perfect bite we had on Martha’s Vineyard.”
The “perfect bite” he meant was a small offering at the Grand Tasting during the Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival: hamachi sashimi topped with uni and a yuzu vinaigrette from Oya Boston. He still talks about it with tears in his eyes.
We had something to celebrate recently, so I set out to recreate a mini-version of his dream meal using what was available nearby. Lobster would have meant a long drive, so I chose frozen snow-crab claws instead. The store supplied crisp green beans and the ingredients for our favorite brown-and-wild rice pilaf with dried cherries and scallions. The meat counter at Wegman’s saved the day with gorgeous tenderloin filets. I bought three of the nicest steaks they had, a pound of uncured applewood smoked pepper bacon, and went home ready to make a memorable dinner.
Many recipes suggest “punching or cutting rounds from tenderloin filets” to form perfect medallions. That sounded wasteful to me. Instead, I cut each steak into two or three smaller portions (depending on size), then used my hands to gently press the pieces into round shapes so none of that tenderloin would be wasted. Wrapping them tightly with bacon finished the shaping.
I preheated the oven, melted butter in a heavy cast-iron skillet over low heat, seasoned the filets, then raised the heat to sear them briefly on both sides. I topped each with a small amount of smoky bleu cheese and finished the filets in the oven until they reached the desired doneness. The result was tender, flavorful, and exactly right for a celebration.
The best part of the evening wasn’t the food alone. Everyone wore comfy clothes and had messy hair; I didn’t wear any makeup and both my husband and I were in slippers. Still, the family recognized the meal was special and used polite table manners. “Please” and “thank you” were abundant, plates were passed instead of reaching across the table, and there were moments of quiet appreciation. It was a simple, perfect night.
The next morning our eight-year-old asked, wistfully, “Mama, when can we have the meat-wrapped meat again?” Maybe it’s time to buy a steer—preferably one that’s all tenderloin, just for dreaming’s sake.
Bacon Wrapped Tenderloin Filet topped with Smoky Bleu Cheese
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 tenderloin filet steaks about 1 1/4 pounds
- 6 to 8 slices smoked Use your favourite variety. It does not need to be thick cut., peppered bacon
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 to 2 tablespoons smoky bleu cheese crumbles
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F.
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Cut each tenderloin steak into 2 or 3 portions so the rounds are about 2–3 inches across. Use your fingers to tuck the corners in and form round medallions. Wrap a slice of bacon tightly around each piece and secure with a toothpick inserted side-to-side so you can easily turn them in the pan.
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Place a cast-iron or other heavy, oven-safe skillet over low heat and melt the butter. When the butter is melted and frothy, season the bacon-wrapped filets with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium and sear the filets about 2 minutes per side, until a light crust forms. If your pan has straight sides, you can rest the filets against the sides to crisp the bacon. Sprinkle a small amount of smoky bleu cheese on top—about 1/2 teaspoon per filet—to add a smoky finish without overpowering the beef.
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Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast until your desired doneness, roughly 7–10 minutes depending on thickness. Use an instant-read thermometer for accuracy.
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Guideline internal temperatures: 115°F Blue; 125°F Rare; 130°F Medium Rare; 140°F Medium; 150°F Medium Well; 160°F Well Done.
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Let the filets rest in the pan for 3 minutes, then serve.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use with your preferred calculator.
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