Filet Mignon Vs Ribeye: (Differences Explained)

Filet mignon and Ribeye are two famous steaks due to their tenderness and mouthwatering taste respectively. They both come from a cow but from different parts. So, what differences do they have?

Ribeye is famous because it is rich in a deep meaty flavor that every steak fan wants to experience. On the other hand, filet mignon is known for its buttery smoothness. The fact that these steaks are cut from different parts of the cow’s ribs means that they have varying fat content and thus calls for different cooking methods. However, every person will always have a different opinion on which cut is better.

It can be hard to identify one cut from the other. That is why you need to familiarize yourself with their differences. This article explains everything you need to know about Filet mignon vs. Ribeye.

What is filet mignon?

Filet mignon is a name derived from French where Filet means a thread or a strip and mignon is for the dainty.

Filet mignon is a highly considered cut that comes from the middle of the tenderloin, which is situated in a ribcage. The muscle is referred to as psoas major and is located alongside the cow’s ribs near the spine. These muscles are on each side of a cow’s ribcage.

Keep in mind that this is not the muscle that bears the cow’s weight or does a lot of exercise. Thus, it is tender and melts quickly when put in the mouth. Also, it is among the leanest meat cuts in a cow. Filet mignons are usually tiny, about 1 to 2 inches thick and 2 to 3 inches wide.

What is Ribeye?

Ribeye is from the longissimus Dorsi muscle. This muscle is long and comes all the way from the shoulder blade down to the hip bone. This basically starts from the 6th to 12th rib of a cow.

Like the filet mignon muscle, this also does not get much exercise; therefore, Ribeye is a very tender meat cut. What makes a difference is the fact that it contains a lot of intramuscular fats, sometimes referred to as marbling which is responsible for adding more flavor and juice to the cut.

Unlike the filet mignon, Ribeye is large with an average measurement size of 11 to 16 square inches. Ribeye can either be served boneless or with bone (bone-in) where the rib bone is still intact with the meat. In other cases, the bone-in is also known as rib steak; it can be served with the meat bone protruding or slashed off to lie flat inside the meat.

Chefs claim that the bone-in cuts have the best flavor and a lot of juice. However, the most significant advantage of the bone-in is that the bone is responsible for insulating meat and ensuring that it cooks slowly. It has a lot of fat and high-calorie content, so if you are watching your weight, this is not the best option, but this is the best option for a great juicy flavor.

Prime Ribeye vs Filet Mignon

Prime Ribeye vs filet mignon are among the top ten best cuts from a cow. However, filet mignon is the kind of steak cut you see being served in most fancy weddings, whereas prime Ribeye is the one served in most steakhouses. Here are various things you need to know about prime Ribeye vs filet mignon.

Prime Ribeye

Most people confuse this with the ordinary Ribeye. Yes, they come from the rib part of a cow, but the difference is that Ribeye is cut before cooking, and then prime Ribeye is a cooked ribeye. It is usually prepared by roasting it in the juices it produces.

Filet mignon

So it is prime Ribeye vs. filet mignon; comparing the tenderness of the two, filet mignon comes top, and this is so with almost all the other steaks. Filet mignon is small and thick that is removed from the tenderest part of the given animal. To achieve the best tenderness, it is advisable to cook them in a rare medium. You will find its texture described as mouth-melting because it melts when put in the mouth.

However, when comparing filet mignon and prime Ribeye, you should be ready to accept that the flavor is something else. While most people would love a tender steak cut, for others, the taste is the top priority before anything else. The filet mignon does not have an intense and juicy flavor, but the prime Ribeye is rich in a deep and more succulent flavor. Therefore, don’t expect to get a deep steak flavor from this. You must have seen filet mignon wrapped in bacon while serving to ensure that it retains a flavor and adds more flavor.

So, if you are looking for only tenderness in a steak, then filet mignon should be your option, but if flavor matters a lot to you, then you should go for prime Ribeye.

Ribeye cap vs filet mignon

Ribeye cap is known to be more flavorful than what you will get in Ribeye, and also, it is tenderer than filet mignon. The ribeye cap is also known as spinalis dorsi. When it is cut by trimming it off the top of its ribs before it is cut into steaks, it produces a 16 inches long muscle that gives very tender and flavorful meat. Like most people love saying: ribeye cap is to Ribeye while filet mignon is to tenderloin; these are basically the areas they are cut from.

So if you are in a dilemma about which one to choose between ribeye cap and filet mignon, I would recommend that you go for prime Ribeye due to its rich flavor and marbling; thus, it will give you a fantastic taste, something hard to find in filet mignon.

Ribeye cap cooking time and temperature

When cooking Ribeye, there are two things to always keep in mind: low and slow. Therefore, start low and slow for an hour or two, then raise the temperature to 600 degrees or higher when using hardwood lump charcoal. This temperature is perfect for searing.

Then lower the temperatures to 275 to 300 degrees; this can be achieved by simply adjusting the vents. Searing takes about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Therefore, it won’t take you long to prepare your prime Ribeye.

One good thing most people like about ribeye cap is that you do not need to marinate them with many herbs and spices. Season it with only salt and pepper and let it give you its flavor in the best way possible. So you do not have to struggle to bring out the unique taste.

Fat content filet mignon vs ribeye

Ribeye is rich in fats and calories; the fats are responsible for its great taste. Filet mignon, on the other hand, is lean. One serving of a ribeye steak contains 22 grams of fat and 269 calories. A serving is about 3.5 ounces. As we said, filet mignon is lean and thus has less fat and calories—for instance, 3 oz. The serving of filet mignon contains 2.8 grams of saturated fats and 170 calories. However, it is rich in protein and has 26 grams of proteins in one serving.

Ribeye vs filet mignon price

Ribeye and filet mignon are both costly. However, the filet mignon is more expensive than the ribeye steak. Why is it expensive? Filet mignon is rare and hard to find in animals. This makes it scarce and thus costly; also, it is tender, thus taking less time to cook and easy to chew.

Bottom line

Choosing between ribeye and filet mignon can be confusing, especially when looking for tenderness and fantastic flavor in one cut. Therefore you should expect differences in these cuts. If you want to enjoy the mouth-melting tender cut of steak, go for filet mignon, but if you are interested in taste and flavor more than anything, then Ribeye is the best option.