Name: Beef flank steak with shallots in balsamic vinegar
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 min
Yield: 2 people
Cuisine: Ile-de-France
Ingredients: 2 slices ofbeef sirloin (or another cut for grilling: skirt steak...); 250 g ofshallots; 30 g ofbutter; 3 tbsp ofcooking oil; 1 tbsp ofbalsamic vinegar; salt, pepper; chef's knife; pastry ring (optional, for the mashed potatoes)

main courses meat pan-frying traditional cuisine

Updated on 16 December 2025 by

ratatouille

6 reviews 4.4 : Very good

Cuisine

Ile-de-France

Level

Easy

Preparation

10 minutes

Cooking

2 minutes

Wait

1 hour 05

I bought two flank steaks from the butcher the other day. He suggested this recipe for beef flank with shallots, but I wanted to avoid using red wine in the sauce. So I decided to deglaze the shallots with balsamic vinegar instead.

Up until now, I was used to searing the meat on a cast-iron skillet. But with this recipe, I discovered a new way to prepare beef. Cooked in a pan with a mixture of oil and butter, the meat is perfectly tender and full of flavor. And the caramelized shallots, infused with the meat’s juices and deglazed with balsamic vinegar, make this recipe a true delight 😋

You can, of course, use this method with other cuts of beef. For example, you can highlight the noble cut known as skirt steak, served in Parisian bistros… and all across France!

As a side dish, I recommend serving this sirloin with shallots alongside mashed potatoes. Simple and traditional, the creamy mashed potatoes will pair perfectly with the juicy meat and its shallot sauce.

Enjoy your meal, and thank you in advance for your comments 🙏

For

people

Add to shopping list

2 slices of beef sirloin or another cut for grilling: skirt steak...
250 g of shallots
30 g of butter
3 tbsp of cooking oil
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
salt, pepper

Kitchen utensils
chef's knife
pastry ring optional, for the mashed potatoes

1
Take the meat out about an hour before cooking it.
If you cook it while it's still cold, it will lose its tenderness.
2
Peel half of the shallots.
Cook them over low heat in a skillet with the butter and cooking oil for 10 minutes.
3
Place your plates in the oven at 60°C so that the meat doesn't cool down too quickly when you're ready to serve it.
4
Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the remaining shallots.
Add them to the pan and cover again for another 10 minutes.
5
Once the shallots are cooked, season with salt and pepper, then keep them warm in the oven along with the plates.
6
Heat a little oil in a skillet, and when it’s hot, add the sirloin slices.
Season the side not currently cooking with salt.
Here are the recommended cooking times based on your desired doneness:
Rare: 30 to 45 seconds per side,
Medium-rare: between 1 min and 1 min 30 sec per side,
Medium: between 2 min and 2 min 30 sec per side,
Well-done: 3 to 4 minutes per side.
7
Once the meat has reached your desired level of doneness, immediately transfer the beef slices to a warm plate and cover them with the other plate.
The Chef's Tip
Let the meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes between the two plates. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in tender and perfectly juicy flank steaks 😋
8
Meanwhile, return the shallots to the pan and toss them so they absorb the meat juices.
Remove the shallots, pour in the balsamic vinegar, and deglaze over low heat for one minute .
Pour the deglazed liquid over the shallots.
9
Place a slice of beef on each plate, scatter the thinly sliced shallots on top, and arrange the whole shallots alongside.
If you’ve made mashed potatoes, you can shape them on the plate using a pastry ring, which will give you a professional-looking result 🤩