Name: Steak with Roquefort Sauce (Old-School, Simplified) — Ready in Under 30 Minutes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 700 –800 g (1½–1¾ lb hanger steak, patted dry); 30 g 2 tbsp garlic butter (or plain butter + 1 small grated garlic clove); 5 ml 1 tsp kosher salt, to taste; 1 –2 ml (¼–½ tsp black pepper, to taste); 15 ml 1 tbsp cognac (for flambé; optional); 70 –80 g (2½–3 oz Roquefort, crumbled); 250 ml 1 cup heavy cream (35%); 15 ml 1 tbsp veal demi-glace (start with 1 tbsp; add more to taste); 5 –10 ml (1–2 tsp dry white wine or lemon juice, to brighten); 15 –30 ml (1–2 tbsp water or milk, as needed to loosen); 600 g 1.3 lb waxy potatoes (Parisian scoops or 2 cm cubes); 250 g 9 oz mushrooms, quartered; 150 g 5 oz smoked bacon or pancetta, in lardons; 10 g ¼ cup chopped parsley (optional but recommended); 15 ml 1 tbsp neutral oil or bacon fat, as needed

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If you love a richly flavoured blue cheese sauce for steak but want a faster, more reliable method, this simplified à l’ancienne version delivers. We use hanger steak (onglet) for big beefy flavour, a cream + Roquefort base gently balanced with veal demi-glace, and a quick pan deglaze so the sauce captures all those delicious steak drippings. On the side: crisp Parisian potatoes with mushrooms, finished with smoky bacon (or pancetta). The result is a restaurant-style steak dinner in about 25 minutes — perfect for cozy nights and special occasions.

Based on my YouTube video — with a few tweaks since publishing to improve balance, consistency, and weeknight speed for home cooks in Canada & the USA.

Along the way, I’ll link a few helpful, related recipes if you want to go deeper on technique (for example: a stand-alone creamy Roquefort sauce, creamy mushroom sauce for steak, Parisian potatoes, or homemade garlic butter).

Why You’ll Love It

True steakhouse flavour with minimal steps (no flour thickener).
Balanced blue-cheese profile (not overly salty).
Pan deglaze = extra depth from the steak fond.
Works with New York strip, ribeye, bavette, flat iron — not just hanger.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

Steak & Pan
700–800 g (1½–1¾ lb) hanger steak, patted dry
30 g (2 tbsp) garlic butter (or plain butter + 1 small grated garlic clove)
5 ml (1 tsp) kosher salt, to taste
1–2 ml (¼–½ tsp) black pepper, to taste
15 ml (1 tbsp) cognac (for flambé; optional)

Roquefort Sauce (Balanced)
70–80 g (2½–3 oz) Roquefort, crumbled
250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream (35%)
15 ml (1 tbsp) veal demi-glace (start with 1 tbsp; add more to taste)
5–10 ml (1–2 tsp) dry white wine or lemon juice, to brighten
15–30 ml (1–2 tbsp) water or milk, as needed to loosen

Potato–Mushroom–Bacon Garnish
600 g (1.3 lb) waxy potatoes (Parisian scoops or 2 cm cubes)
250 g (9 oz) mushrooms, quartered
150 g (5 oz) smoked bacon or pancetta, in lardons
10 g (¼ cup) chopped parsley (optional but recommended)
15 ml (1 tbsp) neutral oil or bacon fat, as needed

Want to prep side elements ahead? My Parisian potatoes recipe has extra tips for even browning. For an alternate side, try authentic Belgian fries or buttery traditional gratin dauphinois.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1) Potatoes & Mushrooms

Parboil potatoes 5–6 minutes in salted water; drain and steam-dry.
Render bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon; keep 2–3 tbsp fat in the pan.

Add potatoes; sauté on medium-high, shaking occasionally until deeply golden (8–10 minutes).

Add mushrooms; sauté 4–5 minutes until browned. Stir bacon back in. Hold warm. (Parsley goes at the end.)

If you prefer a dedicated potato side, see Parisian potatoes or classic French onion soup as a starter.

2) Sear the Steak

Pat steak dry; score lightly in a crosshatch (2 mm deep) if it’s an onglet.
Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a clean skillet over high. Add garlic butter; when foaming, add steak.
Sear 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare (adjust for thickness).
Optional: pull the pan off heat, add cognac, return and flambé briefly. Transfer steak to a warm plate; rest 3–5 minutes.

Want a different finishing sauce style? Try steak au poivre or my creamy mushroom sauce for steak.

3) Build the Roquefort Sauce (in the same pan)

With the pan on medium, add demi-glace and 1–2 tbsp water; scrape the fond.

Stir in cream, then Roquefort. Simmer gently, reduce to nappe (spoon-coating).
Balance with white wine or lemon juice.

Adjust thickness with a splash of water or milk as needed. Taste for salt (Roquefort + demi-glace are salty). Off heat.

4) Finish & Serve

Slice steak against the grain.
Toss garnish with parsley; season to taste.
Plate steak, nappe with Roquefort sauce, add the potato–mushroom–bacon mix on the side.

Substitutions & Variations

Steak cuts: New York strip, ribeye, bavette, flat iron — same method, adjust time.
Blue cheese: Roquefort gives the deepest flavour; Gorgonzola piccante or blue Stilton also work (start with 60–70 g).
Demi-glace: Replace with 2–3 tsp beef stock concentrate or beurre manié (whisk in pea-size portions).
No alcohol: Skip cognac; brighten with lemon.
Bacon-free: Use butter + oil; finish with chive or parsley for savouriness.
Chicken option: The sauce is amazing on chicken; see creamy Roquefort sauce chicken tenderloin.

Pro Tips

Don’t over-reduce: Roquefort + demi-glace concentrate fast. Keep heat moderate; aim for a sauce that coats but still flows.
Resting matters: Those 3–5 minutes give you juicy slices.
Acid = balance: 1–2 tsp wine or lemon makes the sauce taste lighter (essential for weeknight meals).
Garlic butter: Make a batch and freeze portions — here’s my homemade garlic butter.

FAQs

Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes — gently reheat and thin with a splash of milk or water.

What if my sauce is too salty?
Whisk in more cream and a few tsp of milk; add lemon to lift. Avoid adding extra salt until the very end.

Best side dish?
Crispy Parisian potatoes, authentic Belgian fries, or traditional gratin dauphinois. For salad, try homemade Caesar salad.

Can I use Gorgonzola or Stilton?
Yes. Start with 60–70 g; different blues vary in salt and intensity.

What wine pairs well?
A plush Côtes du Rhône or a peppery Syrah plays nicely with Roquefort’s salinity.

What to Serve With (Suggested Posts)

Steak with Roquefort Sauce (Old-School, Simplified) — Ready in Under 30 Minutes

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Prep Time 5

Cooking Time 15

Category Main Course

Cuisine French

Portions 2 people

Calories 600 kcal

Ingredients

Steak & Pan

700 –800 g 1½–1¾ lb hanger steak, patted dry
30 g 2 tbsp garlic butter (or plain butter + 1 small grated garlic clove)
5 ml 1 tsp kosher salt, to taste
1 –2 ml ¼–½ tsp black pepper, to taste
15 ml 1 tbsp cognac (for flambé; optional)

Roquefort Sauce (Balanced)

70 –80 g 2½–3 oz Roquefort, crumbled
250 ml 1 cup heavy cream (35%)
15 ml 1 tbsp veal demi-glace (start with 1 tbsp; add more to taste)
5 –10 ml 1–2 tsp dry white wine or lemon juice, to brighten
15 –30 ml 1–2 tbsp water or milk, as needed to loosen

Potato–Mushroom–Bacon Garnish

600 g 1.3 lb waxy potatoes (Parisian scoops or 2 cm cubes)
250 g 9 oz mushrooms, quartered
150 g 5 oz smoked bacon or pancetta, in lardons
10 g ¼ cup chopped parsley (optional but recommended)
15 ml 1 tbsp neutral oil or bacon fat, as needed

Instructions

Potatoes & Mushrooms

Parboil potatoes 5–6 minutes in salted water; drain and steam-dry.
Render bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon; keep 2–3 tbsp fat in the pan.
Add potatoes; sauté on medium-high, shaking occasionally until deeply golden (8–10 minutes).
Add mushrooms; sauté 4–5 minutes until browned. Stir bacon back in. Hold warm. (Parsley goes at the end.)
If you prefer a dedicated potato side, see Parisian potatoes or classic French onion soup as a starter.

Sear the Steak

Pat steak dry; score lightly in a crosshatch (2 mm deep) if it’s an onglet.
Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a clean skillet over high. Add garlic butter; when foaming, add steak.
Sear 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare (adjust for thickness).
Optional: pull the pan off heat, add cognac, return and flambé briefly. Transfer steak to a warm plate; rest 3–5 minutes.
Want a different finishing sauce style? Try steak au poivre or my creamy mushroom sauce for steak.

Build the Roquefort Sauce (in the same pan)

With the pan on medium, add demi-glace and 1–2 tbsp water; scrape the fond.
Stir in cream, then Roquefort. Simmer gently, reduce to nappe (spoon-coating).
Balance with white wine or lemon juice.
Adjust thickness with a splash of water or milk as needed. Taste for salt (Roquefort + demi-glace are salty). Off heat.

Finish & Serve

Slice steak against the grain.
Toss garnish with parsley; season to taste.
Plate steak, nappe with Roquefort sauce, add the potato–mushroom–bacon mix on the side.

Video

Notes