Take your next steak dinner from ordinary to restaurant-worthy with this rich, velvety red wine sauce. Made with a bold dry red wine, savory beef stock, butter, and Dijon mustard, this classic pan sauce is packed with deep, robust flavor that perfectly complements a juicy steak. As the wine reduces, it concentrates into a smooth, luxurious sauce with subtle notes of fruit, oak, and spice that enhance every bite without overpowering the meat.
Whether you’re preparing a special date-night dinner, celebrating with friends, or simply elevating a weeknight meal, this easy sauce comes together in the same skillet used to cook your steaks, capturing all of those delicious browned bits for even more flavor. Spoon it generously over grilled or pan-seared steaks and serve alongside roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables, or a fresh salad for an impressive meal that’s surprisingly simple to make.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 steaks (10 to 11 ounces each; about 1 inch thick), fat trimmed, patted dry
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3/4 cup full-bodied red wine
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 3 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season steaks with 3/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Cook until deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reaches 130 degrees, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter, and tent with foil. Repeat with remaining oil and steaks. Let steaks rest in a 250 degree oven.
- Reduce heat to medium, and add wine to skillet. Cook until almost completely reduced, about 5 minutes.
- Add beef stock, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 1/2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low, and whisk in butter (1 piece at a time) and mustard.
- Stir in any juices from the platter, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over steaks.
