Pan-Seared Steak With Red Wine Sauce

Updated March 31, 2025

Pan-Seared Steak With Red Wine Sauce
Francesco Tonelli for The New York Times
Total Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(1,365)
Comments
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You can use any cut of steak, either bone-in or boneless, to make this classic French bistro dish. Steaks cut from the tenderloin, such as filet mignon, are the most tender pieces of beef, though they lack the assertively beefy chew of sirloins and rib steaks. Adding brandy to the pan sauce not only contributes flavor; its high alcohol content and acidity help extract flavor from the pan drippings. However, if setting it on fire makes you nervous, skip that step and let the brandy simmer down for an extra few minutes to cook off most of the alcohol. Make sure to open a good bottle of red wine to use in the sauce here, preferably one that you’re happy to finish off with dinner. This recipe is part of The New Essentials of French Cooking, a guide to definitive dishes every modern cook should master.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • Kosher salt, as needed
  • Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
  • pounds boneless steak, or 1¾ pounds bone-in steak (1½ inches thick)
  • 2shallots
  • tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½teaspoon neutral oil, such as grapeseed
  • 2tablespoons good brandy, preferably Cognac
  • cup dry red wine
  • cup beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 1tablespoon chopped chives
  • Watercress, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

523 calories; 35 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 2 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 36 grams protein; 656 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Generously sprinkle salt and pepper all over steaks, then let steaks rest uncovered for 15 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, mince the shallots.

  2. Step 2

    Melt ½ tablespoon butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add steaks and cook until done to taste, about 3 to 4 minutes per side for rare and a little longer for medium-rare or medium. (Bone-in steaks take a few minutes longer to cook through than boneless.) If the pan begins to smoke or burn, lower the heat. Transfer steaks to a plate to rest while you prepare the sauce.

  3. Step 3

    Add shallots to the skillet and cook over medium heat until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add brandy to the skillet and use a long-handled match or igniter to set the brandy on fire. (Stand back when you do this.) Let flames die out, then add red wine and cook until reduced and syrupy, 2 to 4 minutes. Add stock and boil until reduced and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes longer.

  4. Step 4

    Remove pan from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the chives. Serve steaks and sauce immediately with watercress.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,365 user ratings
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Comments

This is a great steak, but the cook in the video pours cognac directly from the bottle into a hot skillet over a flame. Don't do that. There's a chance, albeit a slim one, that fumes will ignite back to the bottle. In that case, you have a low-grade but dangerous version of a Molotov cocktail. I measure the liquor into a small cup, briefly remove the skillet from the heat, add the alcohol and light it. When the alcohol stops burning, I return the pan to the heat. Best to be safe.

Recipe says mince . . .

I undercooked the steak (by accident). I realized it after the sauce was made when I started to slice the meat. I removed the sauce and put the pieces of sliced steak back in the pan where the sauce had been (without cleaning the pan). It was so good I'll do it that way intentionally next time!

I live in an apartment where the fire alarm automatically calls the fire department and goes off in every apartment so I couldn’t set the sauce on fire but the recipe is tasty

Made this for dinner tonight and the steaks were terrific. It's very similar to the steak au poivre recipe. Will make this one again.

Made this according to the directions. Used a prime ribeye. Five minutes each side, then into the oven at 250 while I made the sauce, then rested for a few minutes before slicing. Served with au gratin potatoes. Will make this again.

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