FILET MIGNON: Better without a grill?

UPDATE: Chef Mojo emails:

It’s a given amongst chefs that Filet Mignon, or beef tenderloin in general, is best “pan seared.” The method you linked to is pretty much the professional kitchen method of doing beef tenders. And it’s unbeatable. This is the way I do them, – sans butter – every night at service. The best part of it has been left out; the potential for natural reduction sauces based on the pan glaze. That’s where the butter goes in my case; finishing a pan reduction of madeira, veal demi and chopped black Italian truffles with the mounting of good quality butter.

That, sir, is sublime defined.

You got a ribeye? Grill it. Beef tenderloin? Pan sear and oven finish that bad boy. Oh. AT LEAST 1.5 inches thick.

Yeah, I tend to pan-sear steaks with just a bit of butter. I mostly use the grill when we’ve got a lot of people over.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Stephen Green emails: “The Chef has is absolutely right. THe only thing he didn’t mention was the why. A filet has so little fat, that the only way to save (and savor!) any of it is to trap it in a pan. Grill a tenderloin, and what precious little fat there is will all… just… drip… away.” The horror.