Why Filet Mignon Is Far From The Best Cut Of Beef To Use For Stew

When the weather turns chilly, or you simply need a hearty comfort food dinner, it's hard to beat a delicious beef stew. Although the flavorful mixture is packed with veggies, potatoes, and other ingredients, there's no denying the beef is the star of the show. With this in mind, it might be tempting to splurge on premium cuts of meat, such as the beloved filet mignon. However, it's vital to resist this urge, as there are numerous reasons filet is among the worst choices for your next batch of stew.

When Mashed ranked 12 cuts of meat to use for stew, worst to best, filet mignon came in 10th. It comes down to the presence (or lack thereof) of collagen. Lean cuts like filet and tenderloin don't have much of this connective tissue, which is vital for both the texture of the meat and the taste of the stew. Without enough collagen to keep the beef tender and moist, the long cooking time will make the filet mignon tough, dry, and unpleasant. Meanwhile, the stew itself will lack the thickness and body that the infusion of beef collagen typically provides.

Alternative cuts with the right amount of fat and connective tissue include chuck, bone-in short rib, bottom Sirloin flap, and less common options like oxtail or fatty brisket. Those who aren't committed to beef stew can also grab some pork shoulder roast or even fish or shellfish, Mashed's first- and second-ranked choices for stew meat.

Aside from the culinary reasons, filet mignon is also far from the best option for one obvious reason: price. It's not often you can both improve the quality of your dish and save money at the same time, but that's precisely the case here. Filet typically costs upwards of $20 per pound and is one of the most expensive cuts of beef in the world outside ultra-high-end Wagyu or Kobe. This could force cooks to shell out $40 or more on meat alone for a single batch of stew. On the other hand, you might only spend half or a third of that amount on cuts like stew beef.

If you've made a poor choice before, you're certainly not alone. Picking the wrong cut is among the most common mistakes everyone makes when cooking beef stew, alongside over- or undercooking the meat or failing to sear it before adding it to the pot. However, remembering this simple guidance will help make your next hearty beef stew recipe even more delicious and comforting than before.