Steak Diane is a classic dish that gained popularity at the beginning of the last century and later became an American classic that was synonymous with fine dining.
If you’re looking for a delicious and easy-to-prepare steak dinner with a creamy rich sauce, look no further than our Steak Diane recipe.
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Steak Diane may be a retro restaurant dish, but I promise you after one bite, it will become one of your favorite steak dishes! And the best part is, it takes less than 30 minutes to make.
Don’t wait for special occasions to make our Steak Diane. It’s easy perfect for your next date night, and easy enough to make for a fancy dinner party.
You’re going to love the creamy Steak Diane sauce coating the tender steak medallions! Flavored with Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and Jack Daniels, it’s one of my all-time favorite steak sauces.
If you love steak, make sure to try my steak au poivre and pan-seared filet mignon recipes.
What Is Steak Diane?
Steak Diane is a dish that has been around since 1914 as a venison version of the dish. However, the version using a filet mignon was attributed to Chef Bartolomeo Calderoni of Quaglino’s restaurant in the Mayfair area of London.
It regained popularity at the Drake Hotel in New York City in the 1960s, where It was served table-side by the maitre’d and flambeed with Cognac.
Filet mignon was used for the dish, but over the years, different, less expensive cuts of beef have been substituted.
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make our Classic Steak Diane recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
What type of alcohol is best for Steak Diane?
Traditionally, this classic recipe is made with cognac, but I like to use Jack Daniels, as I prefer the flavor it gives the sauce. You can also use your favorite bourbon to make the dish.
If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, the alcohol can be omitted. There will be a slight flavor change, but nothing that would make the dish less appealing.
How to make Steak Diane
Slice the beef tenderloin steaks in half or thirds to make medallions.
- Pat dry the beef tenderloin medallions with a paper towel, then season with sea salt and black pepper
- Dredge the filet pieces in all-purpose flour.
- Melt butter in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the beef tenderloin medallions and saute for about one minute on the first side, then turn over the beef and saute on the other side for about one minute.
*Remove the beef from the pan, place it on a plate, and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
- Add the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic to the pan.
- Saute, stirring often, until the mushrooms are soft (about 2 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the Jack Daniels. Light the alcohol with a grill lighter or saute for a minute to allow the alcohol to burn off.
- Add the Dijon mustard and heavy cream, mix thoroughly, and cook the creamy sauce, stirring, for about 1 minute.
- Add the beef stock to the sauce and simmer for 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire and stir to combine.
- Place the pieces of butter in the flour and push the flour into the butter. This is called a beurre manie (butter and flour).
- Add the beurre manie to the pan to thicken the sauce.
- Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pan and turn the meat to coat with the sauce.
The steaks will be medium to medium rare. For more well-done, cook the medallions a little longer. For a precise internal temperature, use an instant-read thermometer or meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
Garnish the Steak Diane with sliced green onions and chopped fresh parsley. Serve this classic dish with mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, asparagus, or green beans for a true restaurant-style experience.
And trust me, our version is so much better than the Cheesecake Factory version.
Save any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in a saute pan with a bit of beef stock.
Recipe FAQ’s
Named after the Roman goddess Diana, the huntress of wild animals. Diana sauce was created and named by Auguste Escoffier. The original version was made with venison. Others have speculated it was named after Lady Diana Cooper, a female British aristocrat, in the 1930s.
Yes, you can. Flank steak, skirt steak, or flat iron steak are all good choices for this dish. The idea is to get a thin piece of steak that will cook quickly in the saute pan. In some cases, that may mean flattening it with a meat hammer.
This dish can also be made with slices of pork tenderloin or chicken breast.
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Steak Diane Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounce filet mignon cut into medallions *Flat Iron or Flank Steak can be substituted as well as pork or chicken
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 tablespoon shallots minced
- ½ teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- ¼ cup Jack Daniels cognac, or your favorite bourbon
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup beef stock
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon scallions sliced for garnish
- 1 teaspoon Italian parsley finely chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Slice the beef tenderloin steaks in half or thirds to make medallions.
- Pat dry the beef tenderloin medallions with a paper towel, then season with sea salt and black pepper
- Dredge the filet pieces in all-purpose flour.
- Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the beef and saute for about one minute on the first side, then turn over the beef and saute on the other side for about one minute.
- Remove the beef from the pan, place it on a plate, and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
- Add the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic to the pan.
- Saute, stirring often, until the mushrooms are soft (about 2 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the Jack Daniels.
- Light the alcohol with a grill lighter or simply saute for a minute to allow the alcohol to burn off.
- Add the Dijon mustard and heavy cream, mix thoroughly, and cook the creamy sauce, stirring, for about 1 minute.
- Add the beef stock to the sauce and simmer for 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire and stir to combine.
- Place the pieces of butter in the flour and push the flour into the butter. This is called a beurre manie (butter and flour).
- Add the beurre manie to the pan to thicken the sauce.
- Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pan and turn the meat to coat with the sauce.
- The steaks will be medium to medium rare. For more well-done, cook the medallions a little longer. For a precise internal temperature, use an instant-read thermometer or meat thermometer to check the internal tempe
- Divide the medallions between two plates and top with sliced green onions and chopped fresh parsley.
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Notes
This dish can also be made with slices of pork tenderloin or chicken breast.
Mandy says
I would love to prepare this dish . What non-alcoholic substitute should I use for the bourbon or Jack Daniel’s? Thank you
Chef Dennis Littley says
YOu can just leave it out. If you need more liquid just add a little more beef broth.
Arialdy says
Hi chef I love it so is in my interest to learn many different sides for all those delicious recipes that you share we all please for sea food, meat
Chicken and this please chef Dennis . thank you so much
Thao says
It sounds like a delicious recipe I will to try this one In weekend Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Traveler says
I love this recipe. Instead of bourbon, I usually use brandy or cognac. It is so easy and elegant.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipe and adding your own twist with the different liqueurs.
judy Treadwaystiffler says
Would like a copy of your Steak Diane and Clams Casino and Crab Imperial if possible. Thanking you in advance for your info.
Chef Dennis Littley says
You can copy them all directly from my website Judy
Nadine Bukovic says
I had this dish in a restaurant last week and loved it so much. I had never heard of it before so a did a search and found your recipe. Can’t wait to try it and glad I found you!
Shannon Gurnee says
I’ve not had this before, but it sounds like a delicious recipe! I would love to try this sometime.
Lori Bosworth says
I’ve never made Steak Diane before, but the ingredients look yummy. I’ll have to try this one for a special occasion.
Cindy Gordon says
I’ve never heard of this dish before! It sounds like it would be pretty easy and it sure does look delicious!
KIM CROISANT says
My husband could eat steak every day of the week – me not so much. I always enjoy your recipes and will give this a go.
Ruth I says
Yum! I can’t wait to try this. Perfect for a special night with the family or friends!
Kathy says
I love a great steak recipe. It’s been so long since I’ve had steak too. Looking forward to making more this summer for sure.
Melissa Dixon says
I am going to have to try this one out. I have tried the cut of steak in the past and loved it but not this method for preparation, I am excited!
Beth says
My husband and I were just talking about chicken cordon bleu and how you never see it on menus anymore. This looks really tasty, I’m saving the recipe for later.
Rachel says
I have heard of this on shows but I have never had it. I love flank steak though. It is a family favorite growing up.