Classic Steak au Poivre
Pan-seared steaks coated in crushed peppercorns with a rich, velvety cognac cream sauce.
Recipe Author
Riff Kitchen@riffkitchen
Classic Steak au Poivre
Pan-seared steaks coated in crushed peppercorns with a rich, velvety cognac cream sauce.
By Riff KitchenOn Riff.kitchen, recipes start from what is already in your fridge. Add what you have, and it plans around whatever goes off first.
- 10 prep · 15 cook
- 25 min
- servings
- 2
- effort
- Medium
Chef's note
This restaurant-quality dish relies on simple technique to create an intense, flavorful pan sauce in minutes.
Method
8 steps · tap one to tick it off
Tips
Crush the peppercorns coarsely. Finely ground pepper burns and tastes harsh. Coarse, cracked pieces toast in the butter and give the crust its bite.
Dry the steaks before adding pepper. A dry surface sears faster and helps the cracked pepper stick. Pat them with paper towels before salting.
Pour the brandy away from the flame. Take the pan off the heat to add it, then return it. Brandy poured straight from the bottle into a hot pan can flare back toward you.
Swaps
No brandy? Bourbon, used the same way. Without alcohol, use beef broth with a few drops of Worcestershire; the sauce is less sharp.
No heavy cream? Crème fraîche, which is tangier and holds up to simmering.
No shallot? A little finely minced onion, or the white part of a scallion.
Storage
Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. Store the sauce separately from the steak.
Freezer: Not worth freezing: the cream sauce splits on thawing, and the steak overcooks when it is reheated.
Reheat: Warm the sauce gently in a pan, then add the sliced steak just until steaming hot (75°C in the center).
Fridge and reheating follow Illinois Extension; freezer times are for quality and follow the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as on what freezes and what does not.
Made it?
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Chef's note
This restaurant-quality dish relies on simple technique to create an intense, flavorful pan sauce in minutes.
Instructions
Follow the steps to perfection.
Tips
Crush the peppercorns coarsely. Finely ground pepper burns and tastes harsh. Coarse, cracked pieces toast in the butter and give the crust its bite.
Dry the steaks before adding pepper. A dry surface sears faster and helps the cracked pepper stick. Pat them with paper towels before salting.
Pour the brandy away from the flame. Take the pan off the heat to add it, then return it. Brandy poured straight from the bottle into a hot pan can flare back toward you.
Swaps
No brandy? Bourbon, used the same way. Without alcohol, use beef broth with a few drops of Worcestershire; the sauce is less sharp.
No heavy cream? Crème fraîche, which is tangier and holds up to simmering.
No shallot? A little finely minced onion, or the white part of a scallion.
Storage
Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. Store the sauce separately from the steak.
Freezer: Not worth freezing: the cream sauce splits on thawing, and the steak overcooks when it is reheated.
Reheat: Warm the sauce gently in a pan, then add the sliced steak just until steaming hot (75°C in the center).
Fridge and reheating follow Illinois Extension; freezer times are for quality and follow the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as on what freezes and what does not.
Made it?
Tap a star to rate it.
Community Reviews 0
No reviews yet. Be the first to try this!
Riff Assistant
Ready to Remix