How-To Guides

How to Cook Fillet Steak

Two grass-fed fillet steaks searing in a cast iron pan, developing a rich, caramelised crust

What is Fillet Steak?

How to Cook Fillet Steak: A truly exquisite cut of beef, fillet steak comes from the lower middle part of the back and sits within the sirloin. As this muscle bears very little weight, it isn’t exercised, resulting in an exceptionally tender texture that sets it apart from other cuts.

Despite its melt-in-the-mouth quality, fillet steak is naturally lean and has a more subtle flavour than rump or sirloin. However, our fillet steaks, prepared from older, traditional cattle breeds, offer greater depth of flavour than most, thanks to slower growth, natural marbling and proper ageing.

The term “fillet” comes from the French word filet, meaning “thick slice.” True to its name, fillet steaks are typically cut thicker than other steaks, around 4cm or 1.5 inches, due to the smaller diameter of the tenderloin.

How Long to Cook a Fillet Steak

We think medium-rare is the perfect way to enjoy a fillet steak, allowing the tender texture and subtle flavour to shine. For a steak around 4cm thick, aim for a total cooking time of 6 to 8 minutes over a high heat, turning regularly for an even sear and caramelised crust.

Use a heavy-based pan or cast iron skillet to get the best results. Don’t be afraid to touch your steaks. Your fingers and eyes are your best tools for judging doneness (see Top Tips below). Once cooked, rest the fillet steak for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.

Whether pan-seared, grilled or cooked on the barbecue, a well-timed fillet steak delivers a soft, buttery texture and refined flavour throughout.

How to Cook Fillet Steak Medium-Rare

  1. Remove your fillet steaks from the refrigerator and take them out of their vacuum packaging. Pat dry with kitchen towel to remove any surface moisture and allow them to come up to room temperature. This helps them cook evenly.
  2. Heat a griddle or heavy-based frying pan until smoking hot. Just before cooking, rub olive oil over both sides of the steaks and season generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Place the steaks in the pan and sear on both sides for around 90 seconds. They should release naturally once a crust has formed. If they stick, give it a moment and try again. A rich, golden crust should have developed.
  4. Reduce the heat slightly and continue cooking for a total of 6 to 8 minutes, turning every 90 seconds to ensure even cooking.
  5. Once cooked, remove the steaks from the pan and let them rest in a warm place for at least 5 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute and ensures a tender, evenly cooked fillet steak with a perfect medium-rare finish.

Top Tips for Cooking Fillet Steak

To gauge doneness while cooking, use the reliable finger test. For medium-rare, gently press the tip of your middle finger to the tip of your thumb. Then press the palm of your hand just below your thumb. That’s the feel you’re aiming for. It should resemble the texture of your cheek: tender and soft but still fleshy with a bit of bounce.

Other tips for perfect results:

  • Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook steaks in batches if needed so the pan stays hot and allows proper searing.

  • Use tongs, not a fork. This helps avoid piercing the meat and losing juices.

  • Resting is crucial. A rested fillet steak is a juicy fillet steak. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute.

  • Finish with butter. For added richness, baste with butter and aromatics like garlic and thyme during the final minute of cooking.

Master these techniques for a perfectly cooked fillet steak, time after time.

Order meat online

Instagram

  • If you like proper cooking, good pictures, honest tips, and the odd bit of outdoor chaos inspired by Keith Floyd, give us a follow. More to come through 2026, with Chef George Ryle out in the wild and Swaledale Butchers doing what they do best.
  • Much of the beef on tables and in kitchens at this time of year comes from Bill Whittaker’s herd of Belted Galloway cattle.

They graze land in the shadow of Ingleborough, feeding on diverse forage shaped by limestone ground. It is land that suits the cattle, and cattle that suit the land.

We usually receive Bill’s beef once a year, when it is ready. It is always a good moment when it arrives. Beef like this cannot be rushed. It follows the season.

This is the way we like to work. Smaller farms, running the right cattle on the right ground, producing beef that fits the rhythm of the year.

As we head into the new year, we are always keen to hear from other farmers working with native breeds, regenerative systems, and properly pasture-fed livestock. If that sounds like you, and you have something coming through, do get in touch.
  • Sometimes it takes a new perspective, a fresh angle, to see the value in things. To reverse a perception that might be long held and deeply ingrained. But when we achieve that moment of clarity, the bright light of revelation, the effect can be significant. A door opened and a new future imagined. 

Too much? Well, probably. But maybe, just maybe your eyes really are being opened to a new way. A future of menu writing with the possibility of a new ‘butchers’ steak’; move over bavette, onglet and Denver and step into the spotlight the chuck eye steak. 

Traditionally, a chuck, to butchers and chefs is most likely to conjure images of pies, stews and bourguignons. Your archetypal braising cut, or so it had been assumed. We don’t believe it should be confined by these parameters and are rather taken with the idea of it becoming your new favourite secondary steak. The chuck is the muscle that extends from the ribeye into the neck, like a pork collar, meaning it has good natural marbling and a nice, open texture. Cooked pink, with a great crust and basted in brown butter, it truly is an excellent steak.

For maximum value, snaffle yourself a whole chuck, trim away some of the meat that runs around the eye, reserving for something braised and delicious, then cut yourself some choice steaks. You won’t regret it.
  • A rich, booze-laden beast of a pie. This is no ordinary mince pie. It is deep-filled, indulgent and made with real craft by @joshwhiteheadchef of @finer_pleasures.

We are down to the last few. Our mailing list heard about them yesterday, which is why they are moving quickly. If you want first sight of future specials, sign up.

Josh has been working on this recipe for three years. It is rooted in Hannah Glasse’s 1747 mince pie, where meat was once part of the mix. He has taken that idea and turned it on its head, using the clean, buttery fat from our native-breed cattle in place of suet.

The filling is dried fruit soaked since July in Armagnac, aged port, Madeira and homemade ginger wine. There are ceps cooked slowly in brown sugar syrup until they turn to toffee. And yes, a little Bovril. Trust Josh, it works.

Bake at 185°C until golden, let it sit for two minutes, then eat warm. A dusting of icing sugar finishes it well. Serve with cream, custard or brandy butter.

A very special mince pie, and nearly gone.
  • Highland cattle get photographed a lot. They are turned into cuddly toys. But beneath the coat is a hardy animal that can stand the worst of a Yorkshire winter. That is why Andy Lambert grazes them high on the Dales, on rough ground where few other breeds would thrive. They are the one of the few cattle that can turn this hard landscape into rich, delicious beef. It feeds our chefs and home cooks across the country. We are grateful for them, and it is always a pleasure to see them on the tops.
  • A ragù alla bolognese with a few top tips from chef @grylos.

Beef, pork, and a little surprise at the end for real depth. Slow cooked until rich, deep, and properly delicious.

Find the full recipe on our journal and cook it slow this weekend. What’s your secret to a good bolognese?

@grylos 
@tom_saunderson
  • We love yellow fat. Do you?

This is an old Dexter. You do not see beef like this every day. When one comes in, we get a little excited.
  • One of the motivations for operating a whole carcass butchery model is access to the other bits – offal and ‘butchers cuts’. For us, they are just as important a part of the picture as the more famous, prime cuts. 
So, it gives us immense satisfaction that we now sell more of these delights then we ever have. For chefs understand that these cuts and organs offer something a little different. Yes, in terms of flavour and value but also, we think, in terms of creativity. A ribeye or a rack of lamb might inspire more classic garnishes, whereas an ox heart or a pig’s tongue allow the imaginations run a little freer. It takes skill and touch to cook these cuts well and the results can be extraordinary.
We’ll keep buying the whole carcasses, you guys keep cooking the offal and butcher’s cuts!
If you like proper cooking, good pictures, honest tips, and the odd bit of outdoor chaos inspired by Keith Floyd, give us a follow. More to come through 2026, with Chef George Ryle out in the wild and Swaledale Butchers doing what they do best.
4 hours ago
View on Instagram |
1/8
Much of the beef on tables and in kitchens at this time of year comes from Bill Whittaker’s herd of Belted Galloway cattle.

They graze land in the shadow of Ingleborough, feeding on diverse forage shaped by limestone ground. It is land that suits the cattle, and cattle that suit the land.

We usually receive Bill’s beef once a year, when it is ready. It is always a good moment when it arrives. Beef like this cannot be rushed. It follows the season.

This is the way we like to work. Smaller farms, running the right cattle on the right ground, producing beef that fits the rhythm of the year.

As we head into the new year, we are always keen to hear from other farmers working with native breeds, regenerative systems, and properly pasture-fed livestock. If that sounds like you, and you have something coming through, do get in touch.
Much of the beef on tables and in kitchens at this time of year comes from Bill Whittaker’s herd of Belted Galloway cattle.

They graze land in the shadow of Ingleborough, feeding on diverse forage shaped by limestone ground. It is land that suits the cattle, and cattle that suit the land.

We usually receive Bill’s beef once a year, when it is ready. It is always a good moment when it arrives. Beef like this cannot be rushed. It follows the season.

This is the way we like to work. Smaller farms, running the right cattle on the right ground, producing beef that fits the rhythm of the year.

As we head into the new year, we are always keen to hear from other farmers working with native breeds, regenerative systems, and properly pasture-fed livestock. If that sounds like you, and you have something coming through, do get in touch.
Much of the beef on tables and in kitchens at this time of year comes from Bill Whittaker’s herd of Belted Galloway cattle.

They graze land in the shadow of Ingleborough, feeding on diverse forage shaped by limestone ground. It is land that suits the cattle, and cattle that suit the land.

We usually receive Bill’s beef once a year, when it is ready. It is always a good moment when it arrives. Beef like this cannot be rushed. It follows the season.

This is the way we like to work. Smaller farms, running the right cattle on the right ground, producing beef that fits the rhythm of the year.

As we head into the new year, we are always keen to hear from other farmers working with native breeds, regenerative systems, and properly pasture-fed livestock. If that sounds like you, and you have something coming through, do get in touch.
Much of the beef on tables and in kitchens at this time of year comes from Bill Whittaker’s herd of Belted Galloway cattle.

They graze land in the shadow of Ingleborough, feeding on diverse forage shaped by limestone ground. It is land that suits the cattle, and cattle that suit the land.

We usually receive Bill’s beef once a year, when it is ready. It is always a good moment when it arrives. Beef like this cannot be rushed. It follows the season.

This is the way we like to work. Smaller farms, running the right cattle on the right ground, producing beef that fits the rhythm of the year.

As we head into the new year, we are always keen to hear from other farmers working with native breeds, regenerative systems, and properly pasture-fed livestock. If that sounds like you, and you have something coming through, do get in touch.
Much of the beef on tables and in kitchens at this time of year comes from Bill Whittaker’s herd of Belted Galloway cattle.

They graze land in the shadow of Ingleborough, feeding on diverse forage shaped by limestone ground. It is land that suits the cattle, and cattle that suit the land.

We usually receive Bill’s beef once a year, when it is ready. It is always a good moment when it arrives. Beef like this cannot be rushed. It follows the season.

This is the way we like to work. Smaller farms, running the right cattle on the right ground, producing beef that fits the rhythm of the year.

As we head into the new year, we are always keen to hear from other farmers working with native breeds, regenerative systems, and properly pasture-fed livestock. If that sounds like you, and you have something coming through, do get in touch.
Much of the beef on tables and in kitchens at this time of year comes from Bill Whittaker’s herd of Belted Galloway cattle.

They graze land in the shadow of Ingleborough, feeding on diverse forage shaped by limestone ground. It is land that suits the cattle, and cattle that suit the land.

We usually receive Bill’s beef once a year, when it is ready. It is always a good moment when it arrives. Beef like this cannot be rushed. It follows the season.

This is the way we like to work. Smaller farms, running the right cattle on the right ground, producing beef that fits the rhythm of the year.

As we head into the new year, we are always keen to hear from other farmers working with native breeds, regenerative systems, and properly pasture-fed livestock. If that sounds like you, and you have something coming through, do get in touch.
Much of the beef on tables and in kitchens at this time of year comes from Bill Whittaker’s herd of Belted Galloway cattle. They graze land in the shadow of Ingleborough, feeding on diverse forage shaped by limestone ground. It is land that suits the cattle, and cattle that suit the land. We usually receive Bill’s beef once a year, when it is ready. It is always a good moment when it arrives. Beef like this cannot be rushed. It follows the season. This is the way we like to work. Smaller farms, running the right cattle on the right ground, producing beef that fits the rhythm of the year. As we head into the new year, we are always keen to hear from other farmers working with native breeds, regenerative systems, and properly pasture-fed livestock. If that sounds like you, and you have something coming through, do get in touch.
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
2/8
Sometimes it takes a new perspective, a fresh angle, to see the value in things. To reverse a perception that might be long held and deeply ingrained. But when we achieve that moment of clarity, the bright light of revelation, the effect can be significant. A door opened and a new future imagined. Too much? Well, probably. But maybe, just maybe your eyes really are being opened to a new way. A future of menu writing with the possibility of a new ‘butchers’ steak’; move over bavette, onglet and Denver and step into the spotlight the chuck eye steak. Traditionally, a chuck, to butchers and chefs is most likely to conjure images of pies, stews and bourguignons. Your archetypal braising cut, or so it had been assumed. We don’t believe it should be confined by these parameters and are rather taken with the idea of it becoming your new favourite secondary steak. The chuck is the muscle that extends from the ribeye into the neck, like a pork collar, meaning it has good natural marbling and a nice, open texture. Cooked pink, with a great crust and basted in brown butter, it truly is an excellent steak. For maximum value, snaffle yourself a whole chuck, trim away some of the meat that runs around the eye, reserving for something braised and delicious, then cut yourself some choice steaks. You won’t regret it.
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
3/8
A rich, booze-laden beast of a pie. This is no ordinary mince pie. It is deep-filled, indulgent and made with real craft by @joshwhiteheadchef of @finer_pleasures.

We are down to the last few. Our mailing list heard about them yesterday, which is why they are moving quickly. If you want first sight of future specials, sign up.

Josh has been working on this recipe for three years. It is rooted in Hannah Glasse’s 1747 mince pie, where meat was once part of the mix. He has taken that idea and turned it on its head, using the clean, buttery fat from our native-breed cattle in place of suet.

The filling is dried fruit soaked since July in Armagnac, aged port, Madeira and homemade ginger wine. There are ceps cooked slowly in brown sugar syrup until they turn to toffee. And yes, a little Bovril. Trust Josh, it works.

Bake at 185°C until golden, let it sit for two minutes, then eat warm. A dusting of icing sugar finishes it well. Serve with cream, custard or brandy butter.

A very special mince pie, and nearly gone.
A rich, booze-laden beast of a pie. This is no ordinary mince pie. It is deep-filled, indulgent and made with real craft by @joshwhiteheadchef of @finer_pleasures.

We are down to the last few. Our mailing list heard about them yesterday, which is why they are moving quickly. If you want first sight of future specials, sign up.

Josh has been working on this recipe for three years. It is rooted in Hannah Glasse’s 1747 mince pie, where meat was once part of the mix. He has taken that idea and turned it on its head, using the clean, buttery fat from our native-breed cattle in place of suet.

The filling is dried fruit soaked since July in Armagnac, aged port, Madeira and homemade ginger wine. There are ceps cooked slowly in brown sugar syrup until they turn to toffee. And yes, a little Bovril. Trust Josh, it works.

Bake at 185°C until golden, let it sit for two minutes, then eat warm. A dusting of icing sugar finishes it well. Serve with cream, custard or brandy butter.

A very special mince pie, and nearly gone.
A rich, booze-laden beast of a pie. This is no ordinary mince pie. It is deep-filled, indulgent and made with real craft by @joshwhiteheadchef of @finer_pleasures.

We are down to the last few. Our mailing list heard about them yesterday, which is why they are moving quickly. If you want first sight of future specials, sign up.

Josh has been working on this recipe for three years. It is rooted in Hannah Glasse’s 1747 mince pie, where meat was once part of the mix. He has taken that idea and turned it on its head, using the clean, buttery fat from our native-breed cattle in place of suet.

The filling is dried fruit soaked since July in Armagnac, aged port, Madeira and homemade ginger wine. There are ceps cooked slowly in brown sugar syrup until they turn to toffee. And yes, a little Bovril. Trust Josh, it works.

Bake at 185°C until golden, let it sit for two minutes, then eat warm. A dusting of icing sugar finishes it well. Serve with cream, custard or brandy butter.

A very special mince pie, and nearly gone.
A rich, booze-laden beast of a pie. This is no ordinary mince pie. It is deep-filled, indulgent and made with real craft by @joshwhiteheadchef of @finer_pleasures.

We are down to the last few. Our mailing list heard about them yesterday, which is why they are moving quickly. If you want first sight of future specials, sign up.

Josh has been working on this recipe for three years. It is rooted in Hannah Glasse’s 1747 mince pie, where meat was once part of the mix. He has taken that idea and turned it on its head, using the clean, buttery fat from our native-breed cattle in place of suet.

The filling is dried fruit soaked since July in Armagnac, aged port, Madeira and homemade ginger wine. There are ceps cooked slowly in brown sugar syrup until they turn to toffee. And yes, a little Bovril. Trust Josh, it works.

Bake at 185°C until golden, let it sit for two minutes, then eat warm. A dusting of icing sugar finishes it well. Serve with cream, custard or brandy butter.

A very special mince pie, and nearly gone.
A rich, booze-laden beast of a pie. This is no ordinary mince pie. It is deep-filled, indulgent and made with real craft by @joshwhiteheadchef of @finer_pleasures.

We are down to the last few. Our mailing list heard about them yesterday, which is why they are moving quickly. If you want first sight of future specials, sign up.

Josh has been working on this recipe for three years. It is rooted in Hannah Glasse’s 1747 mince pie, where meat was once part of the mix. He has taken that idea and turned it on its head, using the clean, buttery fat from our native-breed cattle in place of suet.

The filling is dried fruit soaked since July in Armagnac, aged port, Madeira and homemade ginger wine. There are ceps cooked slowly in brown sugar syrup until they turn to toffee. And yes, a little Bovril. Trust Josh, it works.

Bake at 185°C until golden, let it sit for two minutes, then eat warm. A dusting of icing sugar finishes it well. Serve with cream, custard or brandy butter.

A very special mince pie, and nearly gone.
A rich, booze-laden beast of a pie. This is no ordinary mince pie. It is deep-filled, indulgent and made with real craft by @joshwhiteheadchef of @finer_pleasures. We are down to the last few. Our mailing list heard about them yesterday, which is why they are moving quickly. If you want first sight of future specials, sign up. Josh has been working on this recipe for three years. It is rooted in Hannah Glasse’s 1747 mince pie, where meat was once part of the mix. He has taken that idea and turned it on its head, using the clean, buttery fat from our native-breed cattle in place of suet. The filling is dried fruit soaked since July in Armagnac, aged port, Madeira and homemade ginger wine. There are ceps cooked slowly in brown sugar syrup until they turn to toffee. And yes, a little Bovril. Trust Josh, it works. Bake at 185°C until golden, let it sit for two minutes, then eat warm. A dusting of icing sugar finishes it well. Serve with cream, custard or brandy butter. A very special mince pie, and nearly gone.
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
4/8
Highland cattle get photographed a lot. They are turned into cuddly toys. But beneath the coat is a hardy animal that can stand the worst of a Yorkshire winter. That is why Andy Lambert grazes them high on the Dales, on rough ground where few other breeds would thrive. They are the one of the few cattle that can turn this hard landscape into rich, delicious beef. It feeds our chefs and home cooks across the country. We are grateful for them, and it is always a pleasure to see them on the tops.
Highland cattle get photographed a lot. They are turned into cuddly toys. But beneath the coat is a hardy animal that can stand the worst of a Yorkshire winter. That is why Andy Lambert grazes them high on the Dales, on rough ground where few other breeds would thrive. They are the one of the few cattle that can turn this hard landscape into rich, delicious beef. It feeds our chefs and home cooks across the country. We are grateful for them, and it is always a pleasure to see them on the tops.
Highland cattle get photographed a lot. They are turned into cuddly toys. But beneath the coat is a hardy animal that can stand the worst of a Yorkshire winter. That is why Andy Lambert grazes them high on the Dales, on rough ground where few other breeds would thrive. They are the one of the few cattle that can turn this hard landscape into rich, delicious beef. It feeds our chefs and home cooks across the country. We are grateful for them, and it is always a pleasure to see them on the tops.
Highland cattle get photographed a lot. They are turned into cuddly toys. But beneath the coat is a hardy animal that can stand the worst of a Yorkshire winter. That is why Andy Lambert grazes them high on the Dales, on rough ground where few other breeds would thrive. They are the one of the few cattle that can turn this hard landscape into rich, delicious beef. It feeds our chefs and home cooks across the country. We are grateful for them, and it is always a pleasure to see them on the tops.
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
5/8
A ragù alla bolognese with a few top tips from chef @grylos. Beef, pork, and a little surprise at the end for real depth. Slow cooked until rich, deep, and properly delicious. Find the full recipe on our journal and cook it slow this weekend. What’s your secret to a good bolognese? @grylos @tom_saunderson
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
6/8
We love yellow fat. Do you? This is an old Dexter. You do not see beef like this every day. When one comes in, we get a little excited.
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
7/8
One of the motivations for operating a whole carcass butchery model is access to the other bits – offal and ‘butchers cuts’. For us, they are just as important a part of the picture as the more famous, prime cuts. 
So, it gives us immense satisfaction that we now sell more of these delights then we ever have. For chefs understand that these cuts and organs offer something a little different. Yes, in terms of flavour and value but also, we think, in terms of creativity. A ribeye or a rack of lamb might inspire more classic garnishes, whereas an ox heart or a pig’s tongue allow the imaginations run a little freer. It takes skill and touch to cook these cuts well and the results can be extraordinary.
We’ll keep buying the whole carcasses, you guys keep cooking the offal and butcher’s cuts!
One of the motivations for operating a whole carcass butchery model is access to the other bits – offal and ‘butchers cuts’. For us, they are just as important a part of the picture as the more famous, prime cuts. 
So, it gives us immense satisfaction that we now sell more of these delights then we ever have. For chefs understand that these cuts and organs offer something a little different. Yes, in terms of flavour and value but also, we think, in terms of creativity. A ribeye or a rack of lamb might inspire more classic garnishes, whereas an ox heart or a pig’s tongue allow the imaginations run a little freer. It takes skill and touch to cook these cuts well and the results can be extraordinary.
We’ll keep buying the whole carcasses, you guys keep cooking the offal and butcher’s cuts!
One of the motivations for operating a whole carcass butchery model is access to the other bits – offal and ‘butchers cuts’. For us, they are just as important a part of the picture as the more famous, prime cuts. 
So, it gives us immense satisfaction that we now sell more of these delights then we ever have. For chefs understand that these cuts and organs offer something a little different. Yes, in terms of flavour and value but also, we think, in terms of creativity. A ribeye or a rack of lamb might inspire more classic garnishes, whereas an ox heart or a pig’s tongue allow the imaginations run a little freer. It takes skill and touch to cook these cuts well and the results can be extraordinary.
We’ll keep buying the whole carcasses, you guys keep cooking the offal and butcher’s cuts!
One of the motivations for operating a whole carcass butchery model is access to the other bits – offal and ‘butchers cuts’. For us, they are just as important a part of the picture as the more famous, prime cuts. So, it gives us immense satisfaction that we now sell more of these delights then we ever have. For chefs understand that these cuts and organs offer something a little different. Yes, in terms of flavour and value but also, we think, in terms of creativity. A ribeye or a rack of lamb might inspire more classic garnishes, whereas an ox heart or a pig’s tongue allow the imaginations run a little freer. It takes skill and touch to cook these cuts well and the results can be extraordinary. We’ll keep buying the whole carcasses, you guys keep cooking the offal and butcher’s cuts!
1 month ago
View on Instagram |
8/8