You Should Always Splurge On Steak For This Dish

When it comes to preparing steak dishes, you can sometimes get away with using less-expensive cuts. For something like steak fajitas, you can use a more affordable cut since you will be marinating it and adding plenty of other flavors. On the other hand, some dishes are meant to put the spotlight on a high-end cut of steak — one such dish is steak Diane.

Steak Diane, rumored to be named after the eponymous Roman goddess, is seared steak — usually tenderloin – with a creamy pan sauce. The recipe is simple, consisting of only the steak and Diane sauce, which typically has mushrooms, Cognac, shallots, garlic, and herbs. Despite being simple, though, it's a decadent dish. Originally it was served in fancy restaurants — in the '50s and '60s it was often prepared right in front of the diner, with the waiter lighting it on fire on a little trolley brought up to the table.

When considering the different cuts of steak, you want to pick one that will really shine as the star of your steak Diane. In an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, K.C. Gulbro, chef ambassador for Certified Angus Beef, recommended steak medallions or filets (the terms beef tenderloin and filet mignon are used interchangeably) for steak Diane. "The tender meat pairs well with this delicate sauce," he stated. Medallions can come in a variety of cuts, but they're often associated with tenderloin, which is the most tender cut because it comes from a cow's loin area, which is not used nearly as much as other muscles.

Tenderloin is a very pricey cut of meat, running for about $24.82 a pound on Walmart's website. Compare this to the ribeye, which is also known as a premium steak but only costs about $17.97 a pound at Walmart. Splurging on this pricey cut is a commitment, but if you want to make the best steak Diane, you need to choose the best tenderloin you can find — one that is lightly marbled and bright red in color. Trust us, it will be worth the money.