15 Steak Recipes Guaranteed To Win Father's Day

The annual mid-June celebration of all things paternal is upon us. It's possible that a holiday dedicated to the role of the father goes back to at least the early 16th century in Europe. However, the modern Father's Day in the United States wasn't made official until 1972. That's when President Richard Nixon deemed the third Sunday in June as a national day for dad. And, since fathers have been eating things since literally forever, it's only natural they eat on this day too.

What they eat should be something special, right? Steak is special. And although a good steak is one of the more straightforward meals one can prepare, you don't want to just toss pops a plain old slab of meat like he's a rescue tiger. These steak recipes will ensure that the man who's reared you, the partner-dude you share a life with, will walk away from Father's Day not only satiated but satisfied. And then he can just plop his supine body down on the couch and watch "Reacher" — or whatever his me-time entails.

Ooh, fancy move, dad-pleaser-for-the-day. You're not only going with steak but you're going with an accented "e" as well. This butter sauce thickened with egg yolk, sharpened with shallots and vinegar, and sweetened with tarragon goes great with filet mignon, sirloin, or especially a marbled cut like ribeye or New York strip. Just remember to serve this bad boy right away, since it's not great after sitting in the refrigerator. Although that might not matter for the bathrobed Father's Day fridge-raid later in the evening.

Recipe: Steak with Béarnaise Sauce

If you call yourself an enthusiast of steak, or just want to pretend to be one for a single afternoon in June, then the reverse sear should be worked into your cooking. This method will practically ensure a finished steak is thoroughly pink and perfect, primed for patriarchal pleasure. You'll be using the oven first, going low and slow there, before finishing it off with a pan-sear in cast iron to give it a beautifully charred finish. Tip here: dry-age the steaks the day before for a restaurant-level prep.

Recipe: Reverse Sear Steak

Despite what some hardcore purists might believe, what makes a steak great is often what goes on it. And there are few better, more compatible dressings for a steak — especially a quote-unquote inferior cut such as flank, skirt, or shoulder — than chimichurri. A sauce that's plenty open to interpretation, it essentially has a rich, acidic, spicy, salty, and garlicky flavor profile. In this recipe, you'll be incorporating elements like cilantro, capers, shallots, and red wine vinegar, among others. You'll want to concentrate on how you mince some of your ingredients, as it will make a big difference in the finished product.

Recipe: Chimichurri Steak

"Unconventional" might be a spooky word for pops on what's supposed to be his day. A lot of dads just want the comfort of the known quantity on a plate set before them. But this recipe is unorthodox in all the best ways, and won't leave him shaking a fist to the heavens at the ruin of a perfectly good, old-fashioned piece of meat. And to be fair, some may think a marinade centered on soy sauce and ketchup is something close to steak sacrilege. But it's a fine line between sacrilege and soaring through the clouds of food nirvana (or something). Make sure you pick up a bottle of Maggi seasoning to enhance this dish and upend any and all preconceptions.

Recipe: Umami Beef Rib Roast

Who says a sandwich can't be on tap for Father's Day? And if anyone does, they might need to seek professional help for having an anti-sandwich affliction. This isn't any old sammie that's thrown together with some cold cuts and leftover condiments. Bookended by delicious, Frenchy torta bread, this steak and cheese collab will take less than an hour to make while still incorporating step-by-step care and craft. A traditional carne asada is at the center of it all, with Oaxaca cheese in a brilliant, co-starring role.

Recipe: Mexican Steak and Cheese Torta

Sure, it'd be super easy just to head to a steakhouse for Father's Day. That is, if you want to spend all of your accrued life savings on one meal. It's much cheaper (and more TLC-friendly) to construct something at home that would befit any white tablecloth chop house. The whiskey cream sauce that drapes the filet steaks in this recipe is easy to make and takes 25 to 30 minutes, tops. The end result is a river of peppercorn'd luxury. Don't forget to sear the steaks well for a maximally bacchanalian beef experience.

Recipe: Steak with Whiskey Cream Sauce

Whiskey isn't the only friend to steak. These chipotle and tequila fajitas bring a zest and a pop (and, why not, a zing) to the Father's Day steak proceedings. Either a flank or skirt steak soaks in a marinade built around chipotle peppers and tequila. You get sweetness, smokiness, tenderness, and the Maillard reaction in full, charry flow. Maybe not the worst idea to set aside some of that tequila for a Father's Day toast, either.

Recipe: Chipotle and Tequila Steak Fajitas

As the old saying goes, if it's good enough for an iconic horror movie actor from the 1950s, then it's good enough for your dad. This Steak Diane recipe was put together and even published by Hollywood legend Vincent Price. Be warned: Steak Diane is an adventurous dish to cook. It involves flambéing a seared steak and shallots (dousing it with brandy until it goes up in flames). Although it's not recommended for the timid or inept cook, someone with a controlled and experienced kitchen temperament can certainly put together this showstopper of a steak dish.

Recipe: Vincent Price's Steak Diane

Want a sando that hits all the right notes like an expert jazz musician? Look no further than this delectable ribeye steak sandwich accompanied by caramelized onions. You get the sweetness of the onions, the tang of the horseradish in the aioli, the bite of the arugula, and the sumptuousness of the ribeye steak. This isn't a sweatpants sandwich. This sandwich rocks a sports coat, an open Brooks Brothers collar, and a coolly mature persona. This sandwich has its act together.

Recipe: Ribeye Steak Sandwich with Caramelized Onions

Maybe dad would like to scratch that Chinese food itch on Father's Day — but you don't want to come off as lazy by just ordering from the local takeout joint. Solution: this takeout-style honey garlic crispy beef. Leaner and more tender steak cuts are best here, like a flank steak. You want to gets your hands on mirin or Shoaxing Chinese cooking wine as well, to go along with the other ingredients. Tip for super crispy beef: fry it twice. So good you might even get a dad high-five. And what's more reassuring than a dad high-five?

Recipe: Chinese Takeout-Style Honey Garlic Crispy Beef

A one-time enfant terrible turned British national treasure, Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White has a steak au poivre recipe that was unearthed on YouTube (from an old cooking video that was really a bouillon advert, naturally). A quintessential French bistro steak dish, White uses his famously instinctive cooking philosophy to feel out the prep, so strict steps are eschewed for a much more intuited recipe approach. Best to watch the video and follow along. It's actually pretty simple. Plus, the accent is lovely.

Recipe: Marco Pierre White's Steak Au Poivre

We can't lose sight of the fact that a well-cooked steak on its own, with very little else to supplement, can knock the socks off of anybody. And if dad's going flip-flops on Father's Day, those can get knocked off too. This marinade recipe only calls for three ingredients: sauces Worcestershire and soy, along with garlic cloves. And that's all she wrote. Actually she wrote out steps as well that should be followed. If you do, you'll end up with a tender, succulent steak dish that far outweighs its spartan elements. The ideal cuts for this recipe are ribeye, flank, skirt, and hanger.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Steak Marinade

A salad? For a Father's Day indulgence? As anyone who's ever experienced a Pittsburgh salad firsthand can tell you, this ain't no delicate presentation of leafy greens. This is steak, french fries, and shredded cheese on a mattress of lettuce, with some crispy cucumbers and — in this case — a chimichurri ranch dressing. It's recommended to go with ribeye here, pan-cooked. Folks from the Steel City have their own idea of what a salad could be, an idea that any hungry dad can get behind. Viva Pittsburgh!

Recipe: Decadent Pittsburgh Salad

There's nothing wrong with surprising dad for the Father's Day meal. But this dish just sounds too good not to drop a teaser. Gooey garlic butter steak sandwich is a Fab Five of words teaming up together. The best part: it's not just words. It's actual, glorious food. In between two powdery ciabatta rolls are ribeye steak, brie cheese, shallots, garlic, tomatoes, arugula, and horseradish spread. Mama, there goes that sandwich. If a happy place could be edible, it would be this. It goes perfectly with a side of potatoes or fries, made to your liking. Or, you know, his liking.

Recipe: Gooey Garlic Butter Steak Sandwich

This Asian-inspired recipe brings an esteemed triumvirate of flavors: salty, sweet, and tangy. There's also the added nuttiness and perfume of the sesame components. These sticky, crispy sirloin cubes can be paired with rice, noodles, or just standalone for a keto-approved protein bonanza. Normally, you could have leftovers for days from this, but it's Father's Day. The old man might want to commemorate himself with a bit of holiday gluttony. A bite of this dish and you could hardly blame him. No sirloin, by the way? Skirt and flank can do the job just as well.

Recipe: Sticky Soy Steak Bites