Steak au Poivre
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: ~25 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Country of Origin
France (Historically popular in 19th-century Normandy, later becoming a cornerstone of Parisian steakhouse dining)
Description
Steak au Poivre is a classic French dish featuring tender beef steaks coated in a thick, crunchy crust of crushed black peppercorns. After the steak is seared, the pan drippings are deglazed with Cognac and combined with beef stock and heavy cream to create an intensely flavorful, velvety pan sauce that beautifully balances the fiery heat of the pepper.
Presentation & How It's Eaten
Served on a warm plate with the steak sliced or whole, generously ladled with the silky, speckled cream sauce. Because filet mignon is a very lean cut, the rich Cognac-cream sauce is essential to provide moisture and fat. It is traditionally served with steamed green beans and potato purée.
Ingredients
2 filet mignon steaks (approx. 200g / 7 oz each), cut 1.5 inches thick
2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
60ml (1/4 cup) Cognac or brandy
120ml (1/2 cup) beef stock (preferably unsalted, rich bone broth)
80ml (1/3 cup) heavy cream
Salt to taste
Step-by-Step Directions
Crush the Peppercorns: Put the whole black peppercorns in a plastic bag and crush them using the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet. The peppercorns should be coarsely cracked, not ground into a fine powder.
Coat the Steaks: Pat the steaks completely dry. Season both flat sides generously with salt. Press each steak firmly into the pile of crushed peppercorns, coating both sides to form a dense, even pepper crust.
Sear the Steaks: Heat the oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is foaming. Sear the steaks for about 4 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the second side for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to a plate and tent loosely with foil to rest.
Deglaze with Cognac: Turn off the heat or remove the pan from the burner. Pour the Cognac into the hot pan, scraping up all the caramelized bits of beef and pepper from the bottom. Carefully ignite the alcohol with a long match to flambé, or return the pan to low heat to let the alcohol simmer and reduce safely until the raw alcohol smell is gone (about 1 minute).
Build the Cream Sauce: Pour the beef stock into the pan. Increase the heat to medium and simmer, reducing the liquid by half (about 3 minutes). Whisk in the heavy cream and continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Combine and Serve: Stir in any juices that have collected on the plate from the resting steaks. Season the sauce with a pinch of salt if needed. Pour the hot sauce directly over the steaks and serve immediately.
Optional
Green Peppercorn Swap: Use brined green peppercorns instead of dried black ones for a softer, fruitier, and less intensely fiery sauce.
Shallot Addition: Sauté 1 finely minced shallot in the pan drippings for 1 minute before adding the Cognac to layer in a sweet, oniony depth.
Prevent Sticking: Do not move the steaks once they hit the pan in step 3; letting them sit undisturbed allows the pepper crust to fuse to the meat rather than falling off in the pan.
Cooking Tips
The Safety Flambé: When flambéing the Cognac in step 4, always turn off the gas burner or remove the pan from the flame before pouring the alcohol to prevent dangerous flare-ups. Keep a pan lid nearby to smother the flame if necessary.
Avoid Fine Pepper: Crushing the peppercorns coarsely is vital. If the pepper is ground too finely, the heat will be overwhelmingly bitter and sharp, whereas coarse cracks provide a pleasant, textured crunch with bursts of aromatic warmth.
Nutrition Facts
(Estimated per serving)
Calories: ~590 kcal
Total Fat: 38g
Saturated Fat: 16g
Cholesterol: 165mg
Sodium: ~480mg
Total Carbohydrates: 6g
Dietary Fiber: 1.5g
Sugars: ~1g
Protein: 38g
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