The Absolute Best Cut Of Meat For Steak Diane

Steak Diane is as mysterious as it is delicious. Possibly named after a Roman goddess, this dish may not be as common as other steak preparations, but it's worth taking the time to get to know it. Also known as steak cooked Diane-style, it involves pounding or slicing the meat thin and preparing it with a sauce derived from the juices in the pan. Other ingredients vary, but common threads you'll see in these recipes include Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and heavy cream. But will any cut of steak work or is there one that reigns supreme? 

To find out, we turned to the Owner of FoxFire and Copper Fox, and chef ambassador for Certified Angus Beef, K.C. Gulbro. "I love filet or medallions," he told us in an exclusive interview. "The tender meat pairs well with this delicate sauce." It's worth noting that the type of cut you're getting when buying steak medallions can technically come from any cut of beef. Per Gulbro's advice, the door is really open here to your preference, but if you do choose to make this dish with a full hunk of meat, you'll want to go with a buttery, succulent filet mignon.

If you're choosing to make this meal with medallions, you'll be able to find or request them from your butcher pre-sliced, so there's no need to worry about wrestling the meat into these shapes yourself. But keep in mind that you'll need to clarify what type of medallions you're actually looking for. Filet medallions are a safe choice since we already know they'll go well with the Diane sauce, as Gulbro mentioned. But if you want to branch out, you can also try beef tenderloin, which (as its name suggests) is also super tender and a common option for steak Diane. Either way, you'll want to pound the meat to about ¾ inch thick before you start cooking.

But besides the sauce, how else can you jazz up this dish? According to Gulbro, bringing additional flavor and texture can make all the difference. "I like to add fried onions, which gives the dish an added crunch! We like baby portobellos or cremini mushrooms, but many types of mushrooms can enhance the flavor and presentation of your dish," he explained. And while we agree that creminis are the best type of mushrooms to pair with your steak, you can also go with a button variety if you want to switch it up.