Try this classic recipe for Steak Diane! "Diane" refers to the pan sauce made with mustard, Worcestershire, cream, and cognac. It's ready in under 30 minutes, making it a great choice for a date night in!

Photography Credit: Elise Bauer

Steak Diane is traditionally made with a thinly pounded steak, and a cognac, butter, and shallot sauce that is flambéed right before serving to great dramatic effect.

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What is Steak Diane?

Doing some research into Steak Diane, I found that the “Diane” part refers to Diana, the Greco-Roman goddess of the hunt, and “a la Diane” sauces were typically served with venison and game meat in centuries past.

It was probably New York hotels that popularized the flambéed steak version.

My Favorite Steak Diane Recipe

This Steak Diane recipe is based off of one I got years ago from my friend Heidi, who found a version in her local paper, the Carlisle Mosquito (great name for a newspaper, isn’t it?).

The recipe calls for pan-frying the steak, using the pan juices as a base for the “Diane” sauce—a sauce made with mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cream—and then serving the steak with the sauce poured over it. No flames are involved.

Heidi’s husband Vaughn is a master at the grill, so they often grill the steak instead of pan-frying it, and just make the sauce separately. The sauce can be used over chicken or pork as well, and if you have leftovers, you can even stir it in over some pasta.

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