Using thick-cut, center-cut filet mignon—known for its fork-tender texture and lean richness—Chud seasons the steaks simply with salt and pepper, letting the meat shine.

However, round cuts with a diameter of up to 3 inches are sold as filet mignon. Many butchers cite the center of the tenderloin as the source of the cut with the thinner tip reserved for tournedos.

A steak-grilling recipe for making cold, short nights seem a little less bleak: using the Scotch butter secret to perfect a filet mignon. Winter grilling, depending on where you live, can mean ...

author Anthony Bourdain says beef tenderloin, the cut filet mignon comes from, isn't worth cooking. For a good steak, he uses cuts that don't have such an high price tag.