Steak Diane is a classic filet mignon recipe that is first pan-seared to your perfect temperature and then, topped with an amazing cream sauce. This signature sauce features shallots, mushrooms, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, reduced beef stock, cream, and finished with a cognac set ablaze!
For more special occasion recipes, make sure to check out my Lobster Tails and Surf and Turf recipes.
Table of Contents
Valentine’s Day is not only the time to take your special someone out to a fancy dinner, it’s also to a time to try and make it yourself. There is something extra special about cooking dinner for your Valentine rather than going out. I think it’s a perfect gesture to show your love!
But don’t think of this dish as just a date night recipe. It’s also perfect for birthdays, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and so many more occasions. No matter when you’re cooking it, put in time and effort into this special dish and of course, love and care are extra ingredients that you won’t get in the restaurant.
What I have for you today is a classic restaurant dish: Steak Diane! I will teach you to make it at home and in under 30 minutes. Don’t miss the demo video as well, it’s quite helpful!
What Is Steak Diane?
This dish features pan-seared tenderloin steaks and a creamy pan sauce infused with cognac (or brandy). You may recognize this dish by the signature technique called “flambé,” which is when cognac (or brandy) is set aflame to cook out the alcohol. Additional sauce ingredients may vary but often include Worcestershire sauce, Dijon or gourmet mustard, heavy whipping cream, mushrooms, stock (or demiglace), and shallots.
While the origins are debatable, it appears that the dish Steak Diane is named after a celebrity or leading lady named Diana.
During the 1940s, this dish became popular in New York’s fine dining restaurants because of the show that this can put on. Flambéed dishes were (and still are) often prepared tableside, as a form of dinnertime entertainment. Think of dishes like Bananas Foster, Crepes Suzette, Cherries Jubilee, as well as several cocktails.
What Is the Flambé Cooking Technique and Safety Tips
This cooking technique of infusing the sauce with rich liquor or liqueur essence but burning out the alcohol. The technique involves pouring alcohol over food and then igniting it. The alcohol burns out as the flames die out. The French term flambé translates in English to “flaming” or “flamed.”
Several types of pure liquor or liqueur can be used, but cognac, brandy, bourbon, or rum are most common. Due to the high heat of live fire, the alcohol is burned off leaving only the flavor behind.
While this is quite an impressive technique to show off your family and friends, make sure to follow the safety precautions like:
- Check the proof on the liquor and don’t flambé anything over 100 proof.
- Never pour the liquor out of the bottle! Always measure out what you need into a separate dish.
- Take a step back, don’t stand right over or next to the pan.
- Always, take the pan off the heat, or turn off the burner if using a gas stove.
- Use a long match or a long lighter to ignite the alcohol.
- Ignite the fumes near the edge of the pan, not the liquid itself.
- Don’t carry or touch the pan while the flames are still present.
- Don’t preform flambé next to something that is highly flammable.
- Have a metal lid close by in case you need to extinguish the flame quickly.
Ingredient Notes
Filet mignon. While this is the traditional cut for this pan fried steak recipe, you can easily make it with any of your favorite cuts of beef.
Unsalted beef stock. Using unsalted stock will prevent the Diane sauce from being too salty. A low sodium version should work as well, but it’s always a good idea to taste everything before adding more salt.
Cognac. Using alcohol is necessary to create a flambé, and cognac also adds a rich flavor to the sauce. Note, that this technique does burn out most of the alcohol from the sauce. (If you have to skip the alcohol, simply make extra reduced beef stock.)
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Steak Diane
1. Make a beef stock reduction first.
A reduction is a culinary term describing the process of allowing water to evaporate from a liquid. This creates a concentrated, rich flavor that enhances the overall dish.
Ideally, you would do this after cooking the meat so the drippings can flavor the stock. However, doing it this way will cause the steaks to be cold when the sauce is done. For this reason, I recommend reducing the liquid first.
2. Sear the filet mignon.
To form a nice outer crust on the beef, it’s important to use a skillet that holds heat well and also cooks evenly. Cast iron is a great choice, but any heavy-bottomed skillet will work.
TIP: Be sure that the skillet is preheated for a few minutes until it’s hot and your steaks are at room temperature before placing them inside. If the meat is still cold the connective tissue will seize up, causing the meat to be tough and chewy.
(Alternatively, you could cook steaks in the oven, or even grill them. Use my tips on how to grill the perfect steak.)
After cooking the steaks for a couple of minutes on each side, set them aside to rest and take off the string tied around each filet.
3. Prepare the sauce.
Add butter to the pan and once melted, add and sauté the shallots and mushrooms until golden brown.
4. Flambé (Make sure to read above safety precautions!).
Please be very careful with this step and read the highlighted safety precautions above! Remember that you are dealing with liquid that is on fire.
First, remove the pan from the burner or turn off your burner if using a gas stove! It’s important that it be off of the heat before you pour the cognac into the pan (1).
Then, using a long match or lighter, ignite the cognac (2). Do NOT shake, move, or swirl the pan until you see that the flames are mostly gone or completely gone. Otherwise, things can get dangerous and out of hand quickly!
Don’t worry, once the alcohol cooks out, then the fire will go out on its own. Bring the pan back to the stove once the flames have died down, or turn the heat back on the stove.
5. Finish and serve.
Pour in reduced beef stock, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and some salt and pepper. Stir well and stir in the heavy cream (3). Make sure the heat is set to medium or slightly lower and let the sauce gently simmer for a couple more minutes (4).
When sauce is done, pour it over the steaks and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
While you can certainly cook the meat entirely on the stovetop, you do have an option to finish steaks in the oven after searing. Make sure to use a cast iron skillet or another pan that can easily do stove to oven.
If you have never prepared filet mignon, be sure to check out my tips on how to cook filet mignon at home.
Served at the restaurant, you will usually see some form of potatoes and vegetables with this filet. Mashed potatoes make a great pairing with the steaks but you can also opt for roasted potatoes. If you want something lighter, try mashed cauliflower.
As far as vegetables, you can serve your favorite sautéed or roasted vegetables like haricots verts, green beans, asparagus, zucchini, carrots, and many others.
Although Cognac is an essential part of Steak Diane, you can choose to omit it. If you have to skip the alcohol, simply make extra reduced beef stock, you can double the amount of beef stock and reduce it. Of curse, there will be no need for flambe if you’re not using the alcohol!
More Special Occasion Dinner Recipes
The thing is, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on ingredients or make an extravagant effort to cook something fancy. Dishes like coq au vin, beef bourguignon, lamb chops, and even steaks with mushrooms and onions sound fancy, but are actually simple to make!
If you want seafood, try my Salmon Florentine, Lobster Tails, or Crispy Skin Salmon. All are easy and quite special.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below or share and tag me on social media @willcookforsmiles. DON’T FORGET to subscribe to my newsletter!
Steak Diane
Ingredients
Filet Mignon:
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 4 Filet Mignon steaks, about 8 oz. each as close to the same size as possible
- salt
- cracked black pepper
The Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups beef stock unsalted or low sodium
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1-2 shallots sliced thin
- 4 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced thin
- 1/4 cup Cognac
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- *Flambé technique precautions: read precautions in the notes below first, before starting to cook.
- Pull the steaks out of the refrigerator and out of the packaging about 30 minutes before cooking.
Reduce Beef Stock:
- Preheat a skillet over medium heat and when it's heated through, add beef stock. Let it simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup. This will take about 15 minutes, depending on temperature.
- Pour the stock out of the pan and set aside to use in sauce.
Filet Mignon:
- Use a paper towel to pat each steak dry. Tie a string of cooking twine around each filet mignon steak. Tie it firm but not too tight where it starts to cut into meat. Trim off long sting ends.
- TIP: Make sure to season the steaks right before placing them into the hot skillet. Salt draws out moisture from food so if you salt too early, exterior of the steak will be wet and it will hinder the beautiful sear.
- Add oil to the preheated pan, make sure the pan is hot before you add the steaks. Season steaks with salt and pepper on all the sides, don’t forget to season around the edges as well, and place steaks into the pan.
- Cook steaks, flipping and touching them as little as possible, until they reach your desired temperature.
- The best temperatures to cook filet mignon to is medium-rare or medium. For medium-rare, cook it to 130°-135°. For medium, cook to 135°-140° and for rare, cook it to 120°-125°.
- Take steaks out of the pan and set aside to rest while preparing the sauce.
The Sauce:
- Add butter to the same skillet and let it melt.
- Once butter is melted, add shallots and mushrooms and sauté until softened and browned. Try not to disturb them too much while sautéing so they get a browned.
- Take the skillet away from the heat (you can do it on the counter nearby, another burner that is off, or turn off the burnet under the skillet if using gas stove).
- Pour in cognac over the veggies and use a long lighter (or a long match) to ignite the cognac. Ignite the fumes near the edge or the pan, not the liquid itself. Don't touch or move the pan and let the flames die down. You don't need to put it out, the flame will go out on it's own once the alcohol is burned out.
- Return the skillet to the burner (or turn it the burner back on) and mix in Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, reduced beef stock, heavy whipping cream, and some salt and pepper to taste. (If there are any juices accumulated from the steaks resting, add that too!)
- Lower the heat a little below medium and let the sauce gently simmer over medium heat for about a minute or two and take off heat.
- Pour the sauce over the steaks right away and serve with some parsley as a garnish.
Video
Notes
- Check the proof on the liquor and don’t flambé anything over 100 proof.
- Never pour the liquor out of the bottle! Always measure out what you need into a separate dish.
- Take a step back, don’t stand right over or next to the pan.
- Always, take the pan off the heat, or turn off the burner if using a gas stove.
- Use a long match or a long lighter to ignite the alcohol.
- Ignite the fumes near the edge of the pan, not the liquid itself.
- Don’t carry or touch the pan while the flames are still present.
- Don’t preform flambé next to something that is highly flammable.
- Have a metal lid close by in case you need to extinguish the flame quickly.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on March 24, 2012.
Mark says
Turned out fantastic. For anyone who hasn’t made it yet: Be sure to use low or zero sodium bouillon or it will be too salty.
LyubaB says
I’m glad you like it, Mark!
Diane Balch says
Just wanted you to know that this recipe is featured on “Foodie Friday” today. Please share another recipe or 2 with us today.
Charlene@APinchofJoy says
You are featured this week on Busy Monday at A Pinch of Joy! Hope you will stop by and grab a Featured Button. Can’t wait to see what other recipes you’ve been working on — link again soon!
Lori says
This looks fantastic. I’m hungry! I found your blog at the Polish The Stars party. I’m a new follower, and I would love if you stopped by and followed back so we can stay in touch. Talk to ya soon, Lori
Diane Balch says
My name is Diane and I’ve never known how to make Steak Diane. Please share this on my Foodie Friday linky today.
Six Sisters says
Wow, this looks great! Thanks for linking up to our “Strut Your Stuff Saturday.” We love having you and hope you’ll be back next week! -The Sisters
Lisa @ Flour Me With Love says
Wow does this look delicious! Thanks so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday 🙂
Deana says
How fancy…..the sauce looks really good…can’t wait to try this recipe…Thanks for linking it up @CountryMommaCooks and have a wonderful Sunday!
Carla says
Wow that looks so tasty! I know he enjoyed it!