us.recipes
All recipes

Steak au Poivre

Seared tenderloin steaks crusted with cracked peppercorns and finished with a Cognac cream pan sauce.

From Food Network by Alton Brown

beeffrenchdinnerpan sauce
One of 2 versions of Steak au Poivre
Illustration of Steak au Poivre
Illustration

Ingredients

  • 4 tenderloin steaks, 6 to 8 oz each and no more than 1 1/2 inches thick
  • kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp whole peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/3 cup Cognac, plus 1 tsp
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Steps

1Prep the steaks

  1. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour prior to cooking.
  2. Sprinkle all sides with kosher salt.
  3. Coarsely crush 2 tbsp whole peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, the bottom of a cast iron skillet, or using a mallet and pie pan.
  4. Spread the peppercorns evenly onto a plate.
  5. Press the fillets, on both sides, into the pepper until it coats the surface.
  6. Set the steaks aside.

2Sear the steaks

  1. Melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add 1 tsp olive oil.
  3. As soon as the butter and oil begin to turn golden and smoke, gently place 4 tenderloin steaks in the pan.
  4. For medium-rare, cook for 4 minutes on each side.
  5. Remove the steaks to a plate.
  6. Tent with foil and set aside.
  7. Pour off the excess fat but do not wipe or scrape the pan clean.

3Make the Cognac cream sauce

  1. Off of the heat, add 1/3 cup Cognac to the pan.
  2. Carefully ignite the alcohol with a long match or firestick.
  3. Gently shake pan until the flames die.
  4. Return the pan to medium heat.
  5. Add 1 cup heavy cream.
  6. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  7. Whisk until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
  8. Add 1 tsp Cognac.
  9. Season, to taste, with salt.
  10. Add the steaks back to the pan.
  11. Spoon the sauce over the steaks and serve.

Steak au Poivre: 2 versions

Compare
  1. 1
    Steak au PoivreThis one
    No votes yet
  2. 2
    Steak au Poivre
    No votes yet

Best first by everyone's votes. Make one, then rate it, and the order follows.