Ever wondered how steakhouses achieve that mouthwatering crust on a filet mignon? The secret is often a blazing-hot cast iron skillet. For the best results, let your steak sit at room temperature ...

I preheated my cast-iron skillet over high heat for about five minutes. While the skillet was heating up, I patted the tied filet mignon dry and coated it in a thin layer of vegetable oil.

Some people swear by a porterhouse or a T-bone; some are die-hard for the New York strip; some won’t touch anything but filet mignon ... when cooked in a cast iron skillet.

beefier flavour than the more expensive but milder-tasting filet mignon. Thinly slice the garlic cloves. Lightly oil a skillet (preferably un-enamelled cast iron) and place it over a medium-low flame.