Julia Child Steak Diane Recipe

Julia Child Steak Diane features thinly pounded steaks sautéed in butter with a tangy cognac sauce made tableside. This is elegant French bistro cooking with a touch of showmanship.

Julia demonstrated this on The French Chef, describing it as “thinly pounded shell steaks, sautéed quickly in butter, and served with a sauce made right in the pan with the juices, shallots, a bit of mustard, and brandy.” The flambé is optional but dramatic. The sauce is the real star: tangy, rich, and ready in minutes.

Different from Steak au Poivre, which focuses on the peppercorn crust, Steak Diane is all about the complex sauce. The mustard and Worcestershire give it a distinctive tang.

What is Steak Diane? Thin-pounded steaks pan-seared and finished with a flambéed cognac sauce featuring shallots, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire. Classic tableside French cooking.

Jump to Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in 15 minutes. Fast enough for a weeknight, impressive enough for date night.
• Tableside drama. The flambé is optional but makes a statement.
• That sauce. Tangy, rich, complex. Mustard, Worcestershire, cognac, butter.
• Thin steaks cook fast. Seared in 2 minutes, rested while you build the sauce.
• Different from Steak au Poivre. Less about pepper, more about the complex sauce.

Julia Child Steak Diane Ingredients

Based on Julia Child’s technique from The French Chef. Serves 2.

For the Steaks:

• 2 ribeye or strip steaks (6-8 oz each)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Tb olive oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce (optional, for brushing)

For the Sauce:

• 4 Tb clarified butter, divided
• 2 Tb shallots, very finely minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
• ¼ cup cognac or brandy
• ½ cup beef stock
• 1 Tb Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 Tb fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 Tb cold butter for finishing

Steak options:

• Strip steak or ribeye work best
• Filet is leaner but works
• Pound thin for quick cooking

How To Make Julia Child Steak Diane

Step 1: Prep the Steaks

1. Trim and pound: Remove excess fat. Place steaks between wax paper and pound to about ¼ inch thick with a mallet or heavy pan.
2. Season: Dry thoroughly. Brush lightly with oil (and soy sauce if using). Season with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Sear the Steaks

3. Heat the pan: Add 2 Tb clarified butter to a large skillet over high heat until very hot.
4. Sear quickly: Cook steaks 1-2 minutes per side. They should be browned outside, rare to medium-rare inside. The thin cut cooks fast.
5. Set aside: Transfer to a warm plate while you make the sauce.

Step 3: Build the Sauce

6. Cook shallots: Add remaining 2 Tb butter to the pan. Sauté shallots and garlic for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
7. Flambé the cognac: Pour in cognac. Stand back and ignite with a long match (or tilt the pan if using gas). Shake pan until flames subside.
8. Add remaining ingredients: Stir in stock, mustard, and Worcestershire. Boil rapidly for 2-3 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.
9. Finish the sauce: Off heat, swirl in lemon juice and cold butter until glossy. Stir in parsley.

Step 4: Serve

10. Quick reheat: Return steaks to pan for 30 seconds, just to coat with sauce.
11. Plate: Serve immediately on hot plates, spooning sauce generously over the meat.

Recipe Tips

• Pound the steaks thin: ¼ inch thick cooks in 1-2 minutes. Thicker steaks won’t work the same way.
• Clarified butter is key: It can get very hot without burning. Regular butter will smoke.
• Stand back when flambéing: Flames can shoot up. Keep your face away and have a lid nearby.
• Don’t overcook: Thin steaks go from perfect to overdone very fast. Pull them early.
• Work fast: Steak Diane is all about timing. Have everything prepped before you start cooking.
• Skip the flambé if nervous: Just boil the cognac for an extra 30 seconds. Same flavor, less drama.

Recipe Variations

Without Flambé: Skip the ignition. Add cognac and boil rapidly for 1 minute to cook off alcohol. Safer, same result.

With Cream: Add 3 Tb heavy cream after the stock. Simmer briefly. Richer, mellower sauce.

With Mushrooms: Add ½ cup sliced mushrooms with the shallots. Classic addition.

Steak Diane vs Steak au Poivre

Feature	Steak Diane	Steak au Poivre
Main focus	Complex tangy sauce	Peppercorn crust
Key flavors	Mustard, Worcestershire	Crushed pepper
Steak prep	Pounded thin	Regular thickness
Flambé	Traditional	Optional (Julia skipped it)
Cook time	2-3 minutes	6-8 minutes

What To Serve With Steak Diane

Keep it simple so the sauce can shine:

• Buttered mashed potatoes
• Sautéed green beans
• Gratin Dauphinois
• Simple green salad

Wine: A medium-bodied red. Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône.

Make-Ahead

Steak Diane should be made just before serving. The timing is tight and the steaks need to be served immediately.

However, you can prep ahead: mince the shallots, measure all sauce ingredients, pound the steaks. Store everything ready to go. The actual cooking takes only 5 minutes.

How To Store

Refrigerator: Store leftover steak in sauce for up to 2 days. The sauce may separate slightly.

Reheat: Warm very gently in a pan over low heat. The thin steaks overcook easily. Or slice cold over a salad.

Freezer: Not recommended.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 steak with sauce):

• Calories: 580 kcal
• Protein: 42g
• Total Fat: 40g
• Saturated Fat: 20g
• Carbohydrates: 4g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 1g
• Sodium: 520mg
• Cholesterol: 165mg

FAQs

Source: Julia Child’s technique from The French Chef Show

– Claire