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Fillet Steak with Red Wine Jus
The most tender cut on the animal, cooked blushing pink and finished with a glossy red wine jus. Restaurant cooking, simplified.
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The exact cuts from our counter, delivered fresh across Essex.
Fillet has almost no fat and no forgiveness — it's all about precise cooking and a sauce that does the heavy lifting. This jus takes ten minutes and tastes like a restaurant kitchen.
Method
Pat the fillet steaks dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a heavy pan over high heat until smoking. Sear the steaks for 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare (52°C internal), adding the butter for the last minute and basting.
Rest the steaks on a warm plate for 6-8 minutes while you make the jus.
In the same pan, soften the shallot over medium heat for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits.
Add the wine and thyme, and boil hard until reduced by two-thirds.
Pour in the stock and redcurrant jelly and reduce again until the sauce coats the back of a spoon — about 5 minutes.
Off the heat, whisk in the cold butter for a glossy finish. Strain if you like it refined.
Slice the fillets thickly, spoon over the jus, and serve with dauphinoise or buttered greens.
Pro tips from the block
- Don't overcook fillet: with no marbling to protect it, fillet goes from perfect to grey in a minute. Err on the side of rare.
- Reduce properly: a jus should be syrupy, not watery. If in doubt, give it another minute.
- Cold butter finish: whisking cold butter in off the heat gives the sauce its shine and body.
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