Strip Steak Diane

5 from 2 votes

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Steak Diane is a retro classic that’s ready for a comeback – and it couldn’t be easier to make. This updated version uses juicy strip steak, seared to perfection, and finished with a velvety, brandy-spiked pan sauce. It’s fast enough for a Tuesday, fancy enough for a Friday, and doesn’t require a reservation.

Classic strip steak Diane on plate with green beans and potatoes.

Let’s bring back the dinner party classic that deserves way more love: Steak Diane. This version uses beautifully marbled strip steak (no filet mignon required) seared until golden brown and topped with a quick, silky sauce of shallots, mustard, cream, and just a splash of brandy. The whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes, but it tastes like you went to culinary school in Paris. Steak Diane feels a little retro, a lot delicious – both fancy and fun, but without a whole lot of fancy footwork.

Serve Steak Diane with roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, or maybe potato gratin if you want to go all in, or all out, as the case may be. Or a classic Baked Potato. Hey, if there is ever a moment to go all-somewhere, it’s when you’re serving up some serious steak. Creamed Spinach or creamed kale? Or maybe just sautéed green beans with a bit of garlic — we can show a tiny bit of restraint.

Steak Diane in sauce on white plate with green beans and mashed potatoes on red table.

What Is Steak Diane?

The origin of the name is unclear (other than possibly being linked to Diane, the Roman Goddess of the Hunt). Steak Diane is one of those gloriously retro dishes that feels like it came straight out of a swanky 1960s supper club—because, well, it kind of did.

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Traditionally made with thin cuts of beef (like filet mignon), it’s pan-seared and then topped with a quick, creamy, brandy-kissed sauce made right in the same skillet. Also, during the height of its popularity, when served at fancy restaurants, it was often flambéed tableside. I love to wow my family, but we all agree that flambéing anything tableside is probably not a great idea. It’s rich, savory, and a little bit fancy—but in the best possible, no-white-tablecloth-required way. Think of it as steak with a French-ish upgrade, ready in about 20 minutes and totally weeknight-friendly.

I wanted to see how to pull these flavors onto a big fat, juicy steak, so I picked a couple of nice 1-inch thick strip steaks as my canvas. I also added some red wine to the sauce. These can be sliced before serving, since most people won’t be consuming a full strip steak.

Steak Diane Sauce

The sauce contains one or more types of wine and/or booze. Recipes might include everything from Madeira to Marsala to sherry to cognac and brandy to regular red wine.

Worcestershire sauce, one of my go-to ingredients, especially as the weather gets cooler, is another classic ingredient in the sauce. Also, some members of the onion family. I picked shallots, which I often do, and some herbs, usually simple greens like parsley or chives.

Pouring sauce over strip steak with spoon on plate with sides.

How to Make Steak Diane

  1. Cook the steaks: Season the strip steaks with salt and pepper. Sear in a large skillet with oil over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes on each side, until cooked to your liking. Remove to a cutting board and tent with foil.

Kitchen Smarts

The steaks should be nicely browned on the outside. Cook to your liking: about 125°F internal temperature for rare, 135°F for medium-rare on an instant-read thermometer.

  1. Make the sauce: Remove any excess fat from the pan, but don’t clean it. Melt butter over medium-low heat and sauté the shallots for about 4 minutes. Add the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, red wine, and Cognac. (Be careful because the liquor can ignite!) Stir and scrape up any brown bits from the pan while letting the sauce reduce (just a minute or so). Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the parsley.
  2. Serve: Slice the steak and transfer to plates, then drizzle with the sauce.

What to Serve With Steak Diane

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5 from 2 votes

Strip Steak Diane

Steak Diane is a retro classic that’s ready for a comeback – and it couldn’t be easier to make. This updated version uses juicy strip steak, seared to perfection, and finished with a velvety, brandy-spiked pan sauce. It’s fast enough for a Tuesday, fancy enough for a Friday, and doesn’t require a reservation.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2 People
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large, heavy skillet (such as cast iron) over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the steaks, and sear for about 4 minutes on each side, until nicely browned on the outside and cooked to your liking, about 125 F internal temperature for rare, 135 F for medium-rare. Transfer them to a cutting board, and tent them with foil. Pour off any remaining fat from the skillet, but do not clean the skillet.
  • Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-low heat. Sauté the shallots for 4 minutes, until golden brown and tender. Add the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, red wine, and cognac (be careful, the liquor can ignite) and stir, scraping up any little browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the sauce to reduce a bit, just one minute, then taste and season as needed. Stir in the parsley.
  • Slice the steaks and transfer them to a serving plate, or serve each steak on an individual plate with the desired side dishes. Drizzle the sauce over the steak and serve.

Notes

Double this recipe as you wish.

Nutrition

Calories: 604.85kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 35.61g, Fat: 44.26g, Saturated Fat: 18.05g, Cholesterol: 166.18mg, Sodium: 260.59mg, Potassium: 619.45mg, Fiber: 0.25g, Sugar: 1.23g, Vitamin A: 518.34IU, Vitamin C: 3.77mg, Calcium: 48.21mg, Iron: 3.19mg
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About Katie Workman

Katie Workman is a cook, a writer, a mother of two, an activist in hunger issues, and an enthusiastic advocate for family meals, which is the inspiration behind her two beloved cookbooks, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.

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