The pros: Trader Joe's Center Cut Filet Mignon Steak is a tender and high quality cut of meat. This is USDA Choice which is one step below USDA Prime.
The cons: Price. This is quite expensive and is a substantial jump in price compared to the Filet Mignon that I reviewed in 2017. Not only is the packaging, name and quality grade difference but this is almost $10 per pound more expensive.
The verdict:
Now that I've done more than 800 Trader Joe's reviews, certain items stand out to me that I've gotten to them. Other items, might get an update in packaging. While others, need to be revisited entirely.
This is one of those items.
In January of 2017, I got, cooked, and reviewed the filet mignon that Trader Joe's offered.
It was packaged differently. It was priced differently. It was not graded like this.
So a totally different product, gets its own brand new review.
I'm not sure if consumer tastes have changed, the economy has gotten better, or consumers are more aware of what they are buying, but this is vastly different from the previous review of just 18 months ago.
These steaks are thick and meaty unlike the previous small round and more thinly cut steaks.
The weather in New York has not exactly been grill friendly. I opted to use a recipe that requires a cast iron skillet, the stove to sear, and the oven to finish this off.
A bit of herb butter and what I had for dinner was pretty outstanding. It was moist and tender. Doneness is determined by internal temperature so figure the following as a guide to doneness:
Rare-120-125F
Medium Rare-130-135F
Medium-140-145F
Medium Well-150-155F
Well done-160F+
For $23.99 per pound this is a pretty massive increase in price over the $14.49 I paid just 18 months ago. The difference here comes down to labeling. This is choice which commands a higher price overall.
My first experiment with Trader Joe's choice meat was over the holiday season when they offered USDA Choice Premium Angus Beef Boneless Rib Roast. It was awesome. I served it for Christmas. There were no leftovers. Likewise, this is a really well done cut of meat that will make the red meat fans in your life happy.
It's all about how you make it. I opted for another blogger's recipe for the preparation of this item. You can find it over at Kitchen Swagger.
While this isn't something I'll reach for on a weekly basis, this was a nice treat.
Here is the visual run down of what you get if you buy this product:
The package of Trader Joe's Center Cut Filet Mignon Steak:
The nutritional information, the ingredient, how to prepare:
I chose not to follow the directions listed.
I used Kitchen Swagger's Filet Mignon recipe instead.
So following that recipe, this is what came out of the oven:
And a closer look at the finished product:
Would I buy this again? Since I live in a household of two people, Trader Joe's Center Cut Filet Mignon Steak was the perfect size for my husband and I. If we were being more price conscious and wanted to buy in bulk, then you'll do far better at Costco if you are willing to do a bit of knife work.
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Dag says
Lol- when I first glanced at the title on the subject line of my email I thought it said Trader Joe's Center Cut Feet...... ...
Duh....lol. not like Trader Joe's is branching out into cannibalism. Your steaks looks so delicious! My mouth was watering. I am currently only a party of one so this would very well be worth it for me. I would cook one and freeze the other or cook both and use one of the filets for a steak sandwich later on. Thanks for the review. I really do look forward to these when I come home from work almost everyday
becomebetty says
Hahaha! That's ok, I've made spelling errors in titles before. I did have a friend who was putting up a bulletin board where the title was "Math Assessment." The problem was she only got to the first three letters of assessment before she had to resume teaching for the day. Fortunately, the adults noticed more than the kids.
I've gotten to so many snack items lately, it was time to go back to reviewing real food. And yes, the recipe was spot on. My package wasn't a full pound. Good enough for a smaller household, even with left overs. I always look forward to your comments on here. They make my day 🙂
judilyn says
Do you want to know that our local Safeway store has these a few times a year for $5. a pound? And . . . they are wrapped with very thickly-sliced bacon so that they stay very moist while cooking. I agree that they are super delicious. I usually toss in a huge handful of sliced onions and/or mushrooms at the end while the meat rests. They cook up fairly quickly, and make a wonderful accompaniment. Herb toast and a big green salad with tomatoes . . . yum!
Virtual hugs,
Judie
becomebetty says
Hey Judie! $5 a pound?! I think going to your safeway might be worth the trip. That is worthy of getting my vacuum sealer out and stocking up. Maybe things are just so much more expensive here in NY. I've cooked filet mignon with bacon and yes. Completely amazing. Sliced mushrooms and onions sounds like a fantastic side (along with the herb toast and salad) and yes, the key thing here is allowing it to rest.
Thanks for the amazing pairing suggestions. I always love it when you stop by and share your insight.
Beth says
Looks delicious and I agree that it would be a treat for two.
Since you're a teacher, I want to point this out. In your sentence, "Trader Joe’s Center Cut Filet Mignon Steak was the perfect size for my husband and I.," I believe it should read, "my husband and me." I see this often. Maybe grammar rules have changed, but I believe objective case should be used after a preposition (for).
I love your blog. It's one of my favorites!
becomebetty says
Hey Beth! Thanks for the feedback. I'm a history teacher for clarification purposes, but no excuses. I'll go through and fix this once school gets out. Thank you so much for your kind words. Hearing how much you love the blog makes my day. Thanks as always for stopping by1
Chief Winehound says
I love your skillet...want
becomebetty says
Hey Chief Winehound! Thanks so much. My mother in law got it for me as a wedding present. I absolutely love and adore it. Plus it is so much easier to keep clean than most cast iron pans. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Cam says
I just finished the second filet mignin in my package. It was tender and beautiful. However I suspect thesefilet mignins from trader joes use meat glue. I have heard of meat glue but never noticed it before. This second filet mignon starting to separate while cooking. It had strings of fat that looked like it had been sewed together. These are tasty and tender but if meat glue is used I think they should lower the price
becomebetty says
Hey Cam! Thanks for stopping by! Meat glue is technically called Transglutaminase. Now, that being said, according to the USDA website it says, "Products formed from pieces of whole muscle meat, or that have been reformed from a single cut, must disclose this fact on their label, as part of the product name, e.g., "Formed Beef Tenderloin" or "Formed Turkey Thigh Roast." The enzyme must also be listed in the product ingredient statement along with any other ingredients used in the product formulation." In other words, it would seem that they would have to add in that detail to this product. Now, in a separate discussion about the Simply Roast Chicken review I did, I was discussing the ingredients with someone else and we found out based on both of our research that meat ingredients can vary by region. So double check your package to see if your ingredients match up. You can read more about the labeling requirements here: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/food-labeling/safety-of-transglutaminase-tg-enzyme/safety-of-tg-enzyme
I hope that helps!
Howard S says
Hi Betty-
I realize it’s a bit odd to be commenting on your post from nearly 5 years ago, but I came across your review/recipe of the TJs center cut filet mignon after picking it up at the downtown SF location yesterday. The preparation instructions were SPOT-ON, so thank you! Seared in a cast iron skillet 2 min each side, finished in the oven 6 min, tented w foil 5 min. We were so impressed with how tasty and buttery smooth this was, had some quinoa and a kale salad with it. Meat price is a bit crazy ($20 for the 2 3-oz steaks) but still less than other markets and just as good quality.
becomebetty says
Hey Howard! Just because the post is old doesn't mean the directions went out of style. Thanks so much for sharing your feedback. And yes, I have to adjust a lot of prices on this site. My grocery bill has totally gone up.
Jane says
I was looking on internet to find out where Trader Joe’s sources their angus beef and came across your site. I’m curious as to what the cattle have been fed (gmo?), if they’re from small ranches or, hopefully not, feedlots. Do you have any info to share re this?
becomebetty says
No. I wish I did. You might be better off reaching out to the store themselves to see if they will share any information with you.