This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. The fillet is often a prime ingredient in many bone in filet cut, and many dishes call for a specific type of fillet as one of the ingredients. In the case of beef, the term most often refers to beef tenderloin in the United States, especially filet mignon.
Chicken filets, sometimes called inner filets, are a specific cut of meat from the chicken or ostrich steaks. There are two filets in a chicken, and they are each a few inches long and about 1 inch or less wide. Chicken filets are very popular in supermarkets in many countries. They can come attached to the main breast itself or separated from the breast in packages of generally four or more filets. In preparation for filleting, the scales on the fish should be removed. Fish fillets are generally obtained by slicing parallel to the spine, rather than perpendicular to the spine.
The tenderloin is sometimes sold whole. Filet mignon is usually presented as a round cut taken from the thinner end of a piece of tenderloin. It is often the most tender and lean cut. Filet mignon often has a milder flavour than other cuts of meat and as such is often garnished with a sauce or wrapped with bacon.