Steak Diane Pie

By Leslie Blythe Beef, Tart Baking, Sautéing, Simmering

February 14, 2026

This Steak Diane Pie captures the elegance of the original flambéed classic—infused with brandy, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce—and reimagines it as a rich, savory filling tucked beneath a lid of shattered-gold puff pastry. It’s creamy, boozy, and absolutely delicious. My husband always puts our guests’ initials on each pie.

The "Diane" in the name refers to Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt. Originally, Sauce à la Diane wasn't for beef at all—it was a peppery, cream-based sauce designed to complement venison (wild game).

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

1½ pounds beef stew meat

4 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 shallots, finely chopped

6 sprigs thyme, leaves picked

4 tablespoons brandy

4 cups beef stock

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

8 ounces crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons crème fraîche

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons tarragon, finely chopped

1 medium egg yolk, lightly beaten

frozen puff pastry

Directions

1Toss the beef in the flour until evenly coated. Heat the oil in a large, lidded saucepan over a medium heat. Add the beef and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally, until evenly golden. Push to one side of the pan.

2Add the shallots and thyme and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, scraping any caramelised beef off the base of the pan, until starting to soften. Mix through the beef. Drizzle over the brandy then, once safe to do so, carefully set fire to the brandy, allowing it to cook off the alcohol. Once the flame has died down, gradually add the stock and Worcestershire sauce, stirring occasionally, until you have a smooth sauce.

3Cover and simmer over a low-medium heat for 1 hour -1 hour 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork. Add the mushrooms for the final 30 minutes of cooking. Stir through the crème fraîche, Dijon mustard, and tarragon until evenly combined.

4Spoon the filling into 2 individual pie dishes or ramekins, or 1 larger pie dish, if preferred. Brush the edge of the dish with egg yolk, then top with the puff pastry; trim any excess and crimp the edges with your finger. Decorate with any pastry off-cuts, if desired. Cut a cross into the middle of the pastry for a steam hole, then glaze the pastry with the remaining egg yolk. The pies can be covered and chilled for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months at this stage. If freezing, defrost fully overnight in the fridge before cooking.

5Preheat the oven to 400° F. Bake the pies for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden, risen, and crisp.

Recipe adapted from Tesco Real Food.

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