Steak au Poivre (Steak with Peppercorn Sauce)
I’m a carnivore… I love my beef! It can be a nice appetizer like Steak Tartare, Ribeye Steak on Crostini with Spicy Blackberry Sauce or Roast Beef with Mini Yorkshire Puddings & Creamy Horseradish Cheese Sauce. For lunch, a tasty Philly Cheesesteak, Steak Frites or a Steak Salad always hits the spot! As a main course, I think of a nice Filet Mignon or T-Bone on the barbecue as well as Steak Fajitas. What about a Tomahawk… right! If I want to elevate the protein, I go for Steak Oscar, Beef Wellington, Steak Diane, Chateaubriand, or this fabulous Steak au Poivre which is Steak with Peppercorn Sauce!
This French recipe is sooo delicious… I’m not kidding you! As a peppercorn lover, this is a sauce I really enjoy. Although it pairs fabulously well with beef tenderloin, rib-eye, strip loin, etc., pork chops is also an excellent choice! It’s easy and fairly quick to make as long as the Basic Brown Sauce is made while the steaks are getting to room temperature.
To get a nice sear on a steak (or any meat including fish), the protein has to get to room temperature. Usually I go for 30 minutes unless it’s an extremely hot day then I go for 20 minutes. From there, the moisture on the surface has to be patted dry. A subscriber once told me that she doesn’t do that anymore because it makes the meat bland. I asked her what she did and after she explained, I knew right away what went wrong. When patting the room temperature meat, DO NOT SQUEEZE or PRESS TOO HARD… just pat it dry gently otherwise the natural moisture inside will be removed therefore losing flavor! We want the surface dried so we can create a nice sear and a beautiful crust on the outside known as Maillard reaction. If you don’t pat dry, the meat will release more moisture (steam) preventing it from caramelizing the outside and also cooking it unevenly.
Seasoning the meat is important. After sprinkling on a generous amount of sea salt, we cover the entire meat with crushed peppercorns; the one I use is mixed peppercorns which have white, red, green and black. To crush them, there are a few options; a mortar & pestle, the bottom of a cast iron pan or a rolling pin. When this is done, we spread them evenly on the meat pressing down so they adhere better. If there’s some left on the cutting board, add it to the sauce later… after all, this is a peppercorn sauce!
Obviously this Steak au Poivre (Steak with Peppercorn Sauce) recipe is all about the sauce. After the chosen steak is seared to desired doneness (please refer to Filet Mignon • How to Cook Perfectly episode) and removed from the heat, right away while the cast iron pan is extremely hot, Cognac is poured in and then ignited. By flaming it, the harsh taste from the alcohol as well as the alcohol content itself is removed leaving us with the beautiful flavor from the liqueur. My mother prefers using tea that she brewed earlier that day. Of course, if you go with this option, don’t bother to ignite… there’s nothing to burn in it.
The next step is to let the steaks rest, loosely covered with foil while we finish the sauce. My Basic Brown Sauce is what’s being used for this recipe but only half for 2 steaks or the full recipe if there’s more. To minimize time in the kitchen, the Basic Brown Sauce can be made while the steaks get to room temperature. When it’s done, place some wax paper on top making sure it touches the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
This Steak au Poivre (Steak with Peppercorn Sauce) is one of my favorites! It’s another delicious way to enjoy this protein although the sauce pairs amazingly well with others. It can also be served over rack of lamb… it’s incredible! Served with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables like broccolini, I’m sure this is a recipe you’ll be enjoying often…
Bon Appétit!
Check out these other amazing beef recipes…
– BBQ Beef Shish Kebabs
– Stuffed Baguettes
– Roast Beef with Fresh Herbs
– Slow Cooker BBQ Sloppy Joes
– Veal Piccata
– Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
and for even more beef recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Beef
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Steak au Poivre (Steak with Peppercorn Sauce)
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Ingredients
- 2 large steaks such as rib-eye, tenderloin, strip loin, etc.
- ground Himalayan sea salt, to taste and divided
- 1 1/2 tbsp. whole peppercorns, crushed or more as needed (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil tips & tricks
- 3 tbsp. butter, room temperature
- 2 large cloves garlic, slightly crushed
- 2 tbsp. Cognac (substitute Brandy)
- 8 ounces button mushrooms, washed and sliced
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1 1/4 cups basic brown sauce (half of the regular recipe), warmed see Recipe
- 1 tbsp. 35% heavy cream
Directions
- Make the Basic Brown Sauce recipe (half) and keep it warm.
- Let the steaks rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF/230ºC
- Gently pat the steaks dry and season generously with ground sea salt. Spread crushed peppercorns on all sides including the edges pressing down to adhere; set aside.
- Heat up a cast iron pan on medium- high. When hot, add oil. Place meat and cook, undisturbed, for 2 to 2 ½ minutes (Maillard reaction).
- Flip and cook the other side for 2 ½ minutes (medium-rare).
- Add butter and garlic cloves. Tilt the pan to baste the meat, spooning on the butter a few times.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and cook until desired doneness (refer to Filet Mignon • How to Cook Perfectly)
- Remove the cast iron pan from the heat, pour in Cognac and ignite it.
- When the flames go out, transfer the steaks onto a plate, cover loosely with foil and let them rest for 10 minutes.
- In the same cast iron pan over medium-high heat with the two garlic cloves left in, add mushrooms and sauté until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Season them with salt and pepper, stir well before transferring to a bowl and set aside. Discard the two garlic cloves.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low to allow the cast iron pan to cool off a bit.
- Add warm basic brown sauce and heavy cream. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes; taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Before serving, add any accumulated juices to the sauce, stir well and spoon the sauce over the steaks and top with the sautéed mushrooms up. Serve with mashed potatoes and broccolini.
Don't forget to rate and comment on this recipe!
Oh Francine this recipe is awesome!!! Making me hungry!! ❤️
Thank you Trixie☺ It’s sooo delicious and if you like peppercorns, this is the recipe for you! Have a lovely day