How to Prepare Your Full Fillet of British Beef

Congratulations on your purchase of this fine piece of British Fillet considered the king of all the beef cuts. It is the most tender cut as it comes from the least worked part of the animal. As a consequence, fillet is expensive to buy, especially in portions, so buying a whole fillet and preparing it yourself is a great and rewarding way of creating individual cuts exactly as you like them.  Don't be daunted either,  a sharp knife and a little knowledge is all you need to create your own Chateaubriand or Fillet Mignons.

So lets start:

Place the beef fillet flat on a large chopping board and dry off any blood or moisture with a clean tea towel

The chain muscle has been removed so you will now see the larger end,    (sometimes called the Heel), the main wider section (Chateau Briand) and the tail end of the tenderloin.  Should you wish to roast the whole fillet you may wish to cut the tail (approx 8-10cm) from the fillet and roast accordingly. The tail as is superb in stir fries or beef stew. 

Once the tail has been removed don't be afraid to simply cut your steaks without removing the heel however you will probably find that the steak will separate with the tenderloin in the middle at the larger end of the fillet. This is easily resolved by removing the heel leaving the full tenderloin as seen below (tail not removed).  Don't be tempted to remove all the fat as this will render down during the cooking process.

This is prime fillet you can now create your cuts.

 

The Chateaubriand

 

This is the prime cut and taken from the largest section between the tail and the heel.  Perfect for roasting or creating a Beef Wellington.

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The Fillet Mignon

 

Taken from the tenderloin this is the prime cut of steak that is highly prized.  Cut the tenderloin/Chateaubriand into 2 inch slices or to your liking.

 

 

We hope your found this guide useful and that you thoroughly enjoy the wonderful British Beef at its best.