[dropcap1]Q. [/dropcap1]What exactly are the differences among filet mignon, tournedos, and tenderloin? I always ask the waiter about this, but the answer makes them seem like all the same thing.
[dropcap1]A. [/dropcap1]That's not far from true, but each term has its own meaning. The tenderloin is a primal roast, tubular in shape, narrow at one end and thick at the other. Filet mignon, tournedos, and Chateaubriand (we may as well add that to the list) all are cut from the tenderloin. The tenderloin is part of the short loin, from which come T-bone and porterhouse steaks--but let's leave those last two aside.
The filet mignons are the three or four steaks cut from the center of the tenderloin. This is the best-looking part of the tenderloin, with the least extraneous trimmings. A Chateaubriand is just a double or triple filet mignon, cooked in one piece and served to two or more people.
[caption id="attachment_23717" align="alignnone" width="400"]
Tournedos Rossini at Commander's Palace. [/caption]
The tournedos (that is both the singular and the plural form, pronounced "TOO-neh-doe") comes from the narrow end of the tenderloin, right next door to the filet mignon. Because it's smaller in diameter, the tournedos is usually cut thicker. For that and other reasons, it's the tastiest of all the tenderloin cuts, in my opinion. It also lends itself better to saucing.
