Wojapi Filet Mignon: Reverse Sear with a Berry-Spice Crust

This is our date night cook. There's something about a filet that feels like an occasion, and the reverse sear method makes it almost impossible to mess up. We season the steaks with Wojapi, smoke them low on the Traeger until they're just barely warmed through, then hit them hard in a cast iron with butter and thyme. You get edge-to-edge pink with a perfect seared crust — and the berry sugars in the rub caramelize during that final sear into something special.

Why Reverse Sear

Most people sear first and finish in the oven. That works, but you end up with a thick gray band of overcooked meat under the crust. Reverse searing flips it — low heat first so the entire steak comes up to temperature evenly, then a hard sear at the end for crust. The whole steak is pink from edge to edge with just a thin, crispy exterior. Filet is too expensive to overcook. This method takes the guesswork out.

What You Need

• Filet mignon steaks — thick cut, at least an inch and a half
• Original Wojapi Meat Rub™
• Butter
• A couple sprigs of fresh thyme
• A good meat thermometer

How We Cook It

1. Prep: Pat the steaks completely dry. Season all sides with Wojapi, pressing the rub into the surface. Let them sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes before cooking. Don't skip this — cold steaks cook unevenly and you'll end up with gray edges and a cold center.
2. Smoke low: Fire up the Traeger to 225°F. Put the steaks right on the grates with a probe thermometer in the thickest one. Let them smoke until they hit 115°F internal — usually about 30–40 minutes depending on thickness. That sounds low, but the sear is going to add another 10–15 degrees.
3. Quick rest: Pull the steaks and let them sit on a wire rack for about 5 minutes while you get the cast iron screaming hot.
4. Sear hard: Get the cast iron as hot as it'll go. Thin film of avocado oil. Sear the steaks about a minute or two per side until you've got a deep brown crust. In the last 30 seconds, drop in a good chunk of butter and the thyme sprigs. Tilt the pan and spoon that foaming butter over the steaks — this is the move that ties everything together.
5. Rest and serve: Let them sit for 5 minutes. The internal temp will carry over to about 130°F — perfect medium-rare. Slice into it and you should see pink all the way through with just that thin seared edge.

A Few Things We've Learned

• The thyme-butter baste at the end is what makes this. The herb bridges the berry notes in the rub with the beef and it all comes together in that last minute of cooking.
• Filet is lean — it needs that butter. Don't skip it thinking you're being healthy. The butter is doing actual work here, not just adding richness.
• If you don't have a Traeger, you can do the low phase in the oven at 250°F on a wire rack. Same concept, same results — you just won't get the smoke flavor.
• For doneness: pull from the smoker at 110°F for rare, 115°F for medium-rare, 120°F for medium. The sear adds the rest.

Ready to try it? Grab a jar of Original Wojapi Meat Rub™ →