Martha Stewart's 3-Ingredient Steak Eat Like a $100 Dinner

Martha has done it again! Her easy three-ingredient steaks have quickly become one of my favorite dishes for date nights and holiday meals. As you can expect, she seasons the steaks with salt and pepper, and cooks them in butter, but what truly sets this recipe apart is the quick, flavorful red wine sauce.

I don’t drink at all because I’m allergic to alcohol. I’ve tested my limits—college will do that—but ultimately, the curiosity wore off. Now that I’m older and a bit wiser, I’ve learned how to use alcohol in cooking for its flavor without worrying about the alcohol itself.

After I host a gathering or dinner, I often end up with leftover wine from my guests. This recipe is perfect for those nearly empty bottles—the ones that have been open too long to drink but are still good for cooking. If you can spare about 1/3 cup of red wine, you can create a luxurious sauce for steaks in just minutes. This one small detail elevates steaks for special occasions.

How To Make Martha’s Easy but Impressive Steak With Red Wine Sauce

Before you start cooking, Martha walks you through smart prep: Blot the steaks (I used New York strip) dry with a paper towel, season with salt and pepper, and let them come to room temperature. This helps them cook evenly.

Martha calls for a half teaspoon of butter to cook each steak, but I’ve found that a tablespoon per steak works better. A half teaspoon is awkward to measure anyway—Martha, was that a typo?

Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat, add the butter, and place the steaks on top. Sear them without touching too often for three to four minutes per side until they develop a golden-brown crust. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board or plate, then make the wine sauce.

Keeping the heat high, add 1/3 cup of dry red wine to the skillet. The wine will instantly loosen the browned bits on the bottom, creating a sauce packed with flavor. I use my handy wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits without worrying about scratching my skillet. (This step also makes cleanup much easier.)

To finish the sauce, stir in two tablespoons of unsalted butter off the heat. You’ll get a glossy, mahogany-colored sauce that tastes far more complex than its short ingredient list suggests. Try not to drink it straight from the skillet—it’s that good, and it makes even the simplest steak feel luxurious and celebratory.

For serving, I slice my steak against the grain. Look at the steak and find the direction the long fibers run; they appear as faint lines. Turn the steak so your knife cuts across those lines, not in the same direction. This makes the steak much easier to eat.

How To Adapt the Sauce Recipe to Your Liking

The red wine sauce is wonderfully adaptable, considering it uses just two ingredients. Martha recommends a dry red wine, but notes that white wine, Cognac, Armagnac, vermouth, or even vinegar will work.

For the thickener, Martha suggests unsalted butter, heavy cream, mustard, or “creamy” cheese. (I assume she meant cream cheese.)

I’ve tried all these variations. Heavy cream gives the sauce a lighter pink color and adds lovely richness—an especially nice touch since New York strip is leaner than ribeye. I love Dijon for the tangy brightness it adds. Cream cheese works too, though cutting it into small pieces to help it melt can feel a bit fussy, so it’s my least favorite option.