The Steak Cut That Gives Sliders Gourmet Burger Energy In A Small Bun

Nothing beats the versatility of a slider. Entertaining a bunch of your friends in the morning? Feed a brunch crowd easily with breakfast sliders containing bacon and eggs. Need to bring something for your working lunch at the office? Burger sliders are a mess-free way to stay productive and fed. And if you want something a little fancier for dinner, you can make gourmet-worthy sliders with one of the best cuts of beef at the grocery store: filet mignon.

This steak cut comes from the thinner end of the tenderloin, making it one of the most tender muscles you can get. In terms of flavor, it isn't as intensely beefy as other cuts like the New York strip, making it an excellent cut to pair with the sauces and other fillings you'd want to see in a slider. By using filet mignon as the main protein of your sliders, you'll get the richness and juiciness of a premium steak, along with the flexibility to explore a wide variety of flavors with the rest of the ingredients.

A premium steak cut does come with an equally premium price tag, so if you want to go with a more budget-friendly option, get the whole tenderloin instead. As long as you follow a few handy guidelines, you can buy beef tenderloin like a pro and save a significant amount of money in the process. You'll still get the portion that contains the filet mignon, but also have a lot of really tender beef to make more sliders with.

Because it's so tender, you can slice your filet mignon a little more thickly than you would other cuts; that melt-in-your-mouth softness means you won't be pulling the meat out with your teeth as you bite in. Cook it as you would a regular-sized steak (you can even cook filet mignon in the air fryer if you're in a hurry), and then let it rest for a few minutes to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat. After that, slice it against the grain to your desired thickness — ⅛ inch is what you'll usually want for a steak sandwich, but you can go as thick as ¼ inch for something as tender as a filet mignon.

From there, it's all about combining all that gorgeous beef with your favorite flavors and fitting it all into a bun smaller than your palm. These tiny sandwiches can be made with virtually any meat and any filling to deliver a perfect, flavor-packed mouthful of food you can take anywhere and have at any time. Philly cheesesteak sliders are always a good option, given the quality of meat that you're using. You could also go with a classic horseradish sauce and some veggies to accentuate the flavor of the filet mignon with a little heat. Any style of burger slider will get a gourmet upgrade if you swap the patty with these steak slices. Go where your heart takes you — the filet mignon can always meet you there.