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Steak au Poivre
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Steak au Poivre

Steak au Poivre - a classic French dish that features perfectly seared steak coated with coarsely crushed peppercorn and served in a rich, creamy and flavorful sauce. Fancy restaurant-quality meal made at home. Perfect for Father's Day and on special occasions!
Course dinner, Main
Cuisine French
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 2 steaks
Calories 759kcal
Author Imma

Ingredients

  • 2 (3/4-1 inch thick) boneless beef top-loin steaks , (8-10 ounce each)
  • ½ tablespoon (8.5 g) salt
  • 1 tablespoon (10 g) whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon (14 ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup (29 g) finely chopped shallots
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) minced garlic
  • ¼ cup (55 ml) cognac or brandy
  • ½ cup (120 g) heavy cream
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) beef stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Pat dry steaks and season both sides with salt. 
  • Coarsely crush peppercorns with a mortar and pestle (or bottom of a heavy skillet). Spread the peppercorns evenly on a plate then press the steaks into pepper on both sides until it coats the surface evenly. 
  • Heat a 12-inch cast iron over medium high heat, about a minute or two, and then add in the oil. Gently place the steaks in the pan and sear turning over once, about 4 minutes on each side for medium rare.
  • Remove steaks to a plate, pour off the excess fat but do not wipe down the pan. Set aside then make the sauce. 
  • Melt butter in the cast iron over medium heat then add shallots and garlic. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes stirring and scraping up brown bits until shallots are brown.
  • Take pan off the heat, add cognac and carefully ignite the alcohol using a long match or fire stick. Gentle shake pan until the flame dies.
  • Return the pan to heat, add cream and beef stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thickened (sauce coats the back of a spoon), for 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the steaks back to the pan including meat juice accumulated on the plate. Cook over low heat for 1-2 more minutes, swirling skillet until steak juice is fully incorporated.
  • Serve steak with sauce. 

Notes

  1. You can use either heavy cream or crème fraîche on this recipe; each with different effect on the flavor of the sauce.
  2. The boneless beef top-loin steaks has a great flavor combination of a rib-eye steak and the tenderness of a filet mignon. Feel free to use rib eye steaks, filet mignon, strip steaks or even flank steak for this recipe. Make sure to adjust cooking time depending on the thickness of your meat and the heating ability of your cooktop and pan used.
  3. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of your steaks and ensure doneness of the meat. You can check the meat temperature chart HERE.
  4. Heavy cream makes a more delicate, sweeter kind of sauce. But if you want a note of tanginess to the sauce, crème fraîche is a better option.
  5. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Serving: 1steak | Calories: 759kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 249mg | Sodium: 1958mg | Potassium: 939mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 1250IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 4.2mg