These Filet Medallions with Blackberry Sauce are tender, juicy, and topped with a rich, slightly sweet sauce that feels restaurant-worthy. It's a simple yet elegant dish that's perfect for date night or a special family dinner.
Why This Recipe Works
Special Occasion Ready: Perfect for holidays, anniversaries, or dinner parties.
Elegant: Looks impressive but is surprisingly simple to make.
Flavorful: The blackberry sauce balances savory steak with sweet, tangy notes.
If you are looking for more tasty recipes, check out my mouth-watering wagyu burgers, tacos al carbon, chuck roast in the oven, smoked tri tip, leftover turkey enchiladas, and this excellent smoked ribeye.
What This Recipe Needs
Filet Mignon: Cut into medallions, this tender, buttery beef cooks quickly and evenly.
Olive Oil: Helps sear the meat, locking in flavor and juiciness.
Shallot: Adds a delicate, savory depth to the sauce without overpowering.
Blackberries: The star of the sauce, giving sweetness, color, and tang.
Beef Stock: Provides richness and a slightly acidic balance.
Bourbon: Adds just the right kick to balance out the flavor and create delicious depth.
Butter: Finishes the sauce with silky smoothness.
Fresh Herbs (like thyme or rosemary): Add fragrance and elevate the overall flavor.
Equipment: I love using my Thermoworks Dash or Thermapen One to get accurate internal temps! And this minces garlic so easily!
Substitutions
- Filet Mignon: Swap with sirloin or ribeye medallions for a budget-friendly option.
- Shallot: Use a small onion or even garlic for a stronger bite.
- Beef Stock: Replace with Red Wine or balsamic vinegar.
- Blackberries: Raspberries or blueberries work for a twist on the sauce.
How to Make Herb Butter?
Garlic Herb Butter adds fat to the meat, since filet mignon is typically lean, which means it will have more depth of flavor! I use this on Thanksgiving chicken, herb butter turkey, and no-knead bread, too!
- Step 1: Chop herbs and mince garlic. Stir herbs and garlic into room-temperature butter. Set aside until ready to use on filet medallions.
How to Make Blackberry Sauce?
I first had blackberry sauce on elk medallions years ago, and it was such a delicious, savory addition that I knew it would go great with filet mignon.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and water. Set aside.
- Step 3: Heat butter and diced shallots over medium heat. Sauté shallots for 3-5 minutes.
- Step 4: Add blackberries, sugar, beef stock, balsamic vinegar, bourbon, and cornstarch slurry.
- Step 5: Bring to a boil while stirring, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for a few minutes to thicken. It's thick enough that when you can take a spatula through the sauce, it doesn't fill back in. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 6: You can leave the sauce chunky or puree it with an immersion blender and pour through a mesh strainer to get a smooth sauce ( I recommend at least blending it).
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How to Make Filet Medallions?
- Step 7: Slice filet mignon into 1-1 ½ inch thick medallions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Step 8: Heat oil in a skillet; once hot, add medallions and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Check with a thermometer for your preferred temperature for doneness. I like fillet mignon/medallions to be medium rare, which is an internal temperature of 130-135°F.
- Step 9: Top medallions with herb butter and blackberry sauce.
Expert Tips
- Rest the Meat: Always let the medallions rest for 5 minutes after cooking before slicing, allowing the juices to redistribute.
- Use Fresh Berries: Fresh blackberries give the best texture and flavor, though frozen can work in a pinch.
- Don't Overcrowd the Pan: Sear in batches if needed for a perfect crust.
- Deglaze Properly: Scrape up the browned bits when adding broth-they're flavor gold!
Beef Steak and Roast Temperatures
- Rare: 120-130°F
- Medium Rare: 130-135°
- Medium: 135-145°F
- Medium Well: 145-155°F
- Well: 155°+
When cooking steaks and roasts, the meat will typically continue cooking and raise by a 5-10° degrees once you take it off the grill/smoker/oven. Carry over cooking is more likely to occur when meat is cooked at higher temperatures.
Variations
- Herb Swap: Try sage or tarragon instead of thyme or rosemary.
- Spiced Up: A pinch of crushed red pepper or black pepper to the sauce for subtle heat.
- Honey Drizzle: Stir in a spoonful of honey to the herb butter for extra sweetness,
Frequently Asked Questions
I love to serve these with a side of sour cream mashed potatoes, the best deviled eggs, green beans, corn, brussel sprouts with maple syrup, sweet potato rolls, cranberry sauce with orange juice, or a delicious arugula pear salad.
Pan-searing in a hot skillet with olive oil and butter gives the best crust and flavor.
Use a meat thermometer: 130°F for medium rare, 140°F for medium.
Yes, you can make the sauce a day ahead-just warm gently before serving.
More Related Recipes
If you like this recipe, make sure to check out all my delicious entrees, like my spatchcock turkey, fajita tacos, easy chicken tortilla soup, smoked chicken thighs, fried spaghetti, and this shrimp salad sandwich.
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Filet Medallions with Blackberry Sauce
Ingredients
Blackberry sauce
- 1 shallot medium sized, peeled and chopped
- 1 tbs butter
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 tbs sugar
- ⅓ cup beef stock
- 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbs bourbon
- 1 tbs water
- 1 tbs cornstarch
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Filet Medallions
- 1 ½ lbs filet mignon 1-inch-thick, sliced into medallions
- 2 tbs vegetable oil
- 1-2 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoon pepper
Herb Butter
- ⅓ cup butter softened
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
Instructions
Blackberry Sauce
- In a medium skillet, heat butter and diced shallots over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the butter.1 shallot, 1 tbs butter
- Sauté the shallots for 2-3 minutes until softened and starting to brown.
- In a separate bowl, combine water and corn starch.1 tbs cornstarch, 1 tbs water
- Add blackberries, sugar, beef stock, balsamic vinegar, bourbon, and cornstarch slurry to sautéed shallots. Bring to a boil while stirring.1 cup blackberries, 1 tbs sugar, ⅓ cup beef stock, 1 tbs balsamic vinegar, 2 tbs bourbon
- Once at a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3-5 minutes until thickened. It's thick enough that when you can take a spatula through the sauce, it doesn't fill back in. Add salt and pepper to taste.Salt and Pepper to taste
- You can use the sauce as is or puree it a bit with either an immersion blender or a regular blender. Set aside.
Herb Butter
- In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, and thyme.⅓ cup butter, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Filet Medallions
- Using a sharp knife, slice filet mignon into 1-1 ½ inch thick slices.1 ½ lbs filet mignon
- Sprinkle all sides of the medallions with salt and pepper.1-2 teaspoon salt, 1-2 teaspoon pepper
- In a medium- to large-sized skillet, heat oil on high. Once oil is hot, add the medallions and cook 2-3 minutes on each side for medium rare. Dollop the butter on the steak as it's cooking.2 tbs vegetable oil
- Remove from the skillet and drizzle with blackberry sauce. Serve with mashed potatoes and asparagus or green beans.
Notes
- Internal Temps: Rare: 120-130°F, Medium Rare: 130-135°, Medium: 135-145°F, Medium Well: 145-155°F
- Butter adds extra flavor since filet mignon is a lean cut.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Lisa says
Love this recipe! The blackberry sauce is incredible and the filets with the butter are so delicious!