Filet Mignon dinner under $5

[mjkacmom]

It is definitely a regional thing. I am near NYC, if that helps at all. Usually we don't get anything cheap, though lol and it is rare to have a "butcher-sighting" although because I teach and go to grad school I am an evening shopper. The sale is at Shop Rite, for anyone who lives near one.

That's where I get mine, too, and I'm by NYC, and we have an excellent meat department with a butcher at all times. I just tell him how thick I want the pieces, and if i want him to grind up the end for me.

 

[girli565]

Do you use the chain meat for fajitas and steak sandwiches? I've never used the chain meat before, but I have it in the fridge for tomorrow's dinner. Any advice?

I marinate it really well in an acid marinade. I usually use a sliced onion, chop 2 cloves of garlic, a dash of soy sauce, a small spoon of chipotle in adobo from the can (I blend the whole can in the blender, the peppers and the sauce they come in, very spicy so I use very little), and either 1-2 limes worth of juice or red wine vinegar if you don't have limes.

The acid tenderizes them, but they are already very tender because even though it's the cheaper part of the tenderloin it's still soft.

Then I just take the meat out of the marinade and saute it up very quickly and once it's close to the doneness you like I put a big ladle of the marinade in to get up to temp (kill the bad stuff) and everything stays tender and moist.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

What is chain meat?

I just learned this yesterday; it is part of the meat you have to separate from the big unpeeled beef tenderloin to get to the "filet mignon" part. Basically, when you buy these big pieces, it is a whole muscle and it has 3 parts- chain meat from one side, a piece of awesome tenderloin you can cut into "tournedos" or filet mignon and a "head roast" at the big end of the tenderloin.

Chain meat is fatty and I needed to remove a good deal of fat and silverskin, but I ended up with enough good meat for another meal!

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I marinate it really well in an acid marinade. I usually use a sliced onion, chop 2 cloves of garlic, a dash of soy sauce, a small spoon of chipotle in adobo from the can (I blend the whole can in the blender, the peppers and the sauce they come in, very spicy so I use very little), and either 1-2 limes worth of juice or red wine vinegar if you don't have limes.

The acid tenderizes them, but they are already very tender because even though it's the cheaper part of the tenderloin it's still soft.

Then I just take the meat out of the marinade and saute it up very quickly and once it's close to the doneness you like I put a big ladle of the marinade in to get up to temp (kill the bad stuff) and everything stays tender and moist.

Sounds great, thank you!

 

[girli565]

Sounds great, thank you!

No problem, it's a fave at my house. Also, you can saute the onions you used in the marinade to eat with the meat.

 

[punkin]

I just learned this yesterday; it is part of the meat you have to separate from the big unpeeled beef tenderloin to get to the "filet mignon" part. Basically, when you buy these big pieces, it is a whole muscle and it has 3 parts- chain meat from one side, a piece of awesome tenderloin you can cut into "tournedos" or filet mignon and a "head roast" at the big end of the tenderloin.

Chain meat is fatty and I needed to remove a good deal of fat and silverskin, but I ended up with enough good meat for another meal!

Thank you. I had never heard that before.

 

[mookie]

we do this all the time...I will never pay for already cut up filet mignon when a whole tenderloin is cheaper and the same thing!

 

[pweyl36]

Our shoprite has it on sale this week - I have the butcher cut it up for me, wrap each piece individually, and put in a freezer bag.

I was just about to say she went to shoprite,there on sale for $4.99lb. Sometimes they go as low as $3.99lb. I also have the butcher cut it for me and when I get home I just seprate them.