Steak Au Poivre

This amazing steak au poivre is perfect for anyone who loves restaurant-quality dinners at home! The peppery crust and creamy brandy sauce will make your family think you’re a professional chef.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Active Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 30 minutes, Serves: 4 people.

Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free, Soy-Free, High-Protein, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 307 Calories, 19g Fat, 5g Carbs, 24g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Black peppercorns: You’ll need 1 tablespoon of whole peppercorns that you’ll crush yourself. This gives the steak that amazing peppery crust that makes this dish so special!

Beef strip steaks: Get 2 steaks that are 8 ounces each and about 1 inch thick. Strip steaks work perfectly here because they cook evenly and stay tender.

Kosher salt: Just ½ teaspoon to season the steaks before adding the pepper coating.

Extra-virgin olive oil: You’ll use 3 tablespoons for cooking the steaks and getting that beautiful golden color.

Fresh thyme: Grab 2 sprigs for cooking, plus a few extra leaves for garnish. The thyme adds such a lovely earthy flavor to the oil.

Garlic: 2 cloves that will flavor the oil as the steaks cook. Don’t worry about chopping them – just smash them a bit.

Shallot: You’ll need 3 tablespoons minced up. Shallots are milder than onions and perfect for this creamy sauce.

Brandy or cognac: 2 tablespoons adds that rich, warm flavor to the sauce. Either one works great!

Chicken broth: Use ½ cup of the lower-sodium kind. This helps make the sauce silky and flavorful.

Half-and-half: ½ cup creates that dreamy, creamy sauce that pairs so well with the peppery steak.

How to Make Steak au Poivre

Step 1: Crush your peppercorns using a mortar and pestle or the bottom of a small skillet. Put the crushed pepper on a plate. Sprinkle the steaks with salt all over. Press each steak into the crushed pepper until both sides are evenly coated.

Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add your pepper-coated steaks to the hot pan. Cook them for 3 to 4 minutes until the bottom is beautifully browned.

Step 3: Flip the steaks and add the thyme sprigs and garlic cloves to one side of the pan. Tilt the pan so the oil coats the thyme and garlic. Use a spoon to baste the steaks with this flavored oil.

Step 4: Keep cooking and basting often until both sides are browned and a thermometer reads 145°F in the thickest part. This takes about 5 to 7 more minutes. Move the steaks to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 minutes.

Step 5: Remove and throw away the thyme and garlic from the pan. Don’t clean the pan – those brown bits are flavor gold! Add the minced shallot and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute until softened.

Step 6: Take the pan off the heat and add the brandy or cognac. Stir until it reduces a bit, about 30 seconds. Put the pan back on medium heat and add the chicken broth and half-and-half.

Step 7: Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook, stirring now and then, until it reduces to ½ cup. This takes 6 to 8 minutes and makes the sauce perfectly creamy.

Easy and Quick Steak au Poivre Version

Want to make this even faster? You can buy pre-cracked black pepper from the spice aisle instead of crushing your own peppercorns! Just use about 2 teaspoons of coarse ground black pepper. Also, you can skip the brandy and just use an extra ¼ cup of chicken broth – the sauce will still be delicious and creamy.

Serving Ideas

This steak au poivre is pretty much a complete meal on its own! Serve it with some buttery mashed potatoes to soak up that amazing sauce. A simple green salad with vinaigrette or some roasted asparagus makes perfect sides too.

Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered container. To reheat, warm it gently in a skillet over low heat for 2-3 minutes. The sauce might thicken up, so add a splash of broth if needed.

Substitutions

No brandy or cognac? Try using dry white wine or just skip it and use extra broth. You can swap the half-and-half for heavy cream if you want it richer, or use whole milk for a lighter version. Strip steaks can be replaced with ribeye or filet mignon if you prefer.

Pro Tips

Perfect pepper coating: Really press those steaks into the crushed pepper – don’t be shy! The coating should stick well and cover the whole surface.
Don’t move the steaks: Let them sit in the hot oil for the full 3-4 minutes before flipping. This creates that gorgeous crust you want.
Sauce secret: Don’t clean the pan after cooking the steaks! Those brown bits are pure flavor and make the sauce incredible.
Resting is key: Let the steaks rest for the full 5 minutes. This keeps all the juices inside when you slice them.

FAQs

Can I make this without alcohol?

You bet! Just skip the brandy and use an extra ¼ cup of chicken broth instead. The sauce will still be rich and creamy, just without that warm brandy flavor.

What if I don’t have a meat thermometer?

No worries! For medium-rare steaks, they should feel firm but still give a little when you press the center. You can also make a small cut to check – it should be pink in the center.

Can I use a different cut of steak?

Sure! Ribeye, filet mignon, or even sirloin steaks work great. Just adjust the cooking time based on thickness – thicker steaks need a few more minutes.

How do I know when the sauce is ready?

The sauce is perfect when it coats the back of a spoon and you have about ½ cup left in the pan. It should be creamy but not too thick.

I’d love to hear how your steak au poivre turns out! This recipe always makes me feel like I’m dining at a fancy French restaurant right at home. Let me know if you try any fun variations – I’m always excited to hear your cooking adventures!