Steak au Poivre
This is a classic French dish for black pepper lovers. For variations of this recipe please see the hints sections for some suggested additions. Steak au Poivre can be prepared with nearly any type of peppercorn we sell, even non-piper nigrum peppercorns like Long Pepper, Pink Peppercorns, or Grains of Paradise. The key to this dish is using coarsely cracked pepper, not a fine powder. This recipe can be made with many cuts of beef, but tenderloin is the popular choice. New York Strip, Rib Eye, Sirloin, and Hanger Steak are also popular options. Venison is particularly delicious in this preparation and preferred over beef by many gourmets.
Submitted by: Geoff Marshall from Chicago, IL
Yield: 4 - 5 oz servings of beef with sauce for each.
Preparation Instructions:
Let steak sit out 30-60 minutes until it reaches room temperature.
Use the bottom of a sauté pan and a sheet pan to crush the peppercorns. You could also place the peppercorns into a plastic bag, or fold them in a linen napkin before carefully crushing them with a mallet. If your peppermill has an extra coarse setting, you can use that too.
Season steaks first with Kosher salt then coat it heavily in black pepper.
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil and small knob of butter in a heavy sauté pan. On high heat, sear the steaks to form a crust. Cook steaks to desired temperature, medium-rare is preferred.
Remove steaks from pan, cover in foil, and let them rest while you prepare the cream sauce.
Use your liquor to deglaze the fond from pan. Flambé the liquor with long match or barbecue lighter. Make sure you have proper ventilation. Do not burn your house down! The flames can reach up to a foot high, but will burn away after 30 seconds or so.
Use a whisk to loosen all the baked on deliciousness that will form the pan sauce. Add another knob of butter and your cream. Keep whisking the cream sauce as you reduce it to a nappe consistency. (Nappe is a French cooking term to describe a sauce thickness that will coat the back of a spoon.)
For a more visually appealing serving; slice and shingle the steaks on a bed of sauce, and sauce them once more on top.
For an even more succulent severing, smother the whole steak in the pan sauce, you can even roll them around in the pan.
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More About This Recipe
The recipe listed above is the simplest form of Steak au Poivre. This flavor profile allows you to enjoy the specific flavors of beef, peppercorns, and the creamy pan sauce. You could also try the following suggestions to switch things up for your preferred taste. Cook shallots, mushrooms, or onions in butter after you have flambéed and deglazed the pan. Add cream and reduce to nappe once the vegetables have cooked. For a zestier pan sauce, add a dollop of dijon mustard or brined green peppercorns. For an extra luxurious pan sauce, add a small amount of truffle oil. If you have a different spin on this recipe, please comment below and tell us!
If you enjoyed this recipe, check out more French recipes here.
At 16 years old I had the pleasure to taste in Northern Germany “Pariser Pfeffer Steak” (Steak Au-Poivre ala Parisienne).
First prepare finely diced pickles (I prefer one of the German brands such as Hengstenberg or Kuhne worst case take butter pickles), finely diced white mushrooms, and finely diced red peppers.
Coarse Salt the Steak and push whole black peppercorns into one side of the meat.
Sear the steaks on high heat peppercorn side first, then turn over and cook to desired doneness. Put aside and cover with foil.
Flambee with 2-parts cognac and 1-part Grand Marnier. Take some butter and sauté the diced mix, fill with 1/2 cup beef fond (beef stock plus dark roux), and 1/2 cup of sweet cream.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Server the filet in the center of the plate and cover with the “vegetable” mix and then spoon the cream sauce over it. And server with classic French fries.