Dinner for Two: Stuffed Filet Mignon Oscar

Updated and republished February 2020

I originally spied this recipe in an old Cuisine at Home magazine, and I knew I just had to try it. 

What could be more elegant than a delicious beef tenderloin filet topped by a crab filling? In my book, just about nothing, then top that with some Bearnaise sauce and oooo laaaaa laaaaaaa! Sweet mother of everything that is good, this is elegant, decadent and totally delicious.

There are a few steps you'll need to take to make this, but it's well worth the little bit of time it takes to make this elegant dinner for two.

What you'll need to make this dish:

• 2 tenderloin steaks from your local beef farmer, butcher, or grocery store. The best steak is graded as "prime" but if prime is not available, the next best is "choice" and lastly is "select."
• 8 oz. good canned premium or pasteurized lump crab meat
• oyster crackers
• dry ground mustard
• Old Bay seasoning
• grated Parmesan
• Worcestershire sauce
• Parsley
• lemon juice
• mayonnaise
• Bearnaise sauce (I used McCormick's)

RECIPE
FOR THE FILLING, COMBINE:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup oyster cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
8 oz. canned premium or pasteurized lump crab meat, drained

TO MAKE: combine mayonnaise, cracker crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, dry mustard, Old Bay, Worcestershire, and lemon juice. Add crab meat; toss gently with hands to combine. You can make this ahead and refrigerate until ready to use.

FOR THE BEEF
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 center-cut beef tenderloin steaks, 2-inches thick (8 oz. each) 
seasoned well with salt and black pepper
Bearnaise Sauce to serve over top (I used McCormick's)
Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-high until it shimmers. Sear tenderloin steaks, 5–6 minutes per side. Transfer to a rack to cool, 15–20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange a wire rack inside a baking sheet. Cut an “X” into top of each filet to create a pocket. Avoid cutting through the sides or bottoms of steaks. Lift each of the points of the “X” from the center and snip halfway down to increase pocket size.

Stuff 1–2 Tbsp. filling into each pocket, then top each filet with about 1/3 cup more filling. Arrange tenderloin steaks on a prepared baking sheet and roast 20 minutes for rare, or internal temp of 130 (see chart below for internal temperatures); adjust cooking time accordingly by roasting steaks longer to achieve desired doneness.

Transfer tenderloin steaks to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes before serving with Béarnaise Sauce.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.