Steak au Poivre — Pepper Crusted
Experience the rich flavors of a French bistro with this classic steak au poivre recipe. Perfectly seared steak, bold pepper crust, and a decadent cream sauce.
25 min active, one pan, feeds 8
Steak au Poivre — Pepper Crusted
Experience the rich flavors of a French bistro with this classic steak au poivre recipe. Perfectly seared steak, bold pepper crust, and a decadent cream sauce.
25 min active, one pan, feeds 8
Key move
Achieve a deep, even sear on the steak to maximize the pepper flavor and create a flavorful fond for the sauce.
Cook mode keeps your place
Larger text, ingredients in reach, and saved step progress while you cook.
The Setup
- Skillet12-inch
- Wire Rack
The Mise en Place
5 of 9Your prep station before cooking begins
The Protein (0/1)
The Aromatics (0/1)
The Spice Blend (0/1)
The Braise (0/3)
Steak is not searing properly and is steaming instead.
The pan is not hot enough. Ensure the pan is smoking hot before adding the steak.
Sauce is too thin.
Continue simmering the sauce until it thickens to your desired consistency.
Chef's Notes
Press peppercorns firmly into steak for a better crust. Use a mix of black and pink peppercorns for color and flavor.
Sear steak on high heat to create a deep crust, then lower heat to finish cooking to desired doneness.
Deglaze the pan with brandy or cognac, scraping up browned bits for a rich sauce base.
Serve immediately with creamy mashed potatoes or crisp French fries to soak up the sauce.
The Method
PREPARE
Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and generously coat both sides with the crushed black peppercorns (2 tbsp). Season with salt.
Uneven seasoning: Failing to press the pepper into the meat causes it to fall off in the pan, leading to burnt pepper bits.
Steaks are patted dry and coated with peppercorns.
HEAT
Time-sensitiveHeat olive oil (1 tbsp) in a heavy skillet over high heat until smoking hot.
Oil ignition: If the oil begins to flame, remove the pan from heat immediately to prevent a grease fire.
Oil is shimmering and almost smoking.
SEAR
Time-sensitiveCarefully place the steaks in the hot skillet and sear for 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare, or longer for desired doneness. Do not overcrowd the pan; sear in batches if necessary.
Steaming the meat: Overcrowding the pan lowers the temperature, causing the steak to steam instead of sear.
Steaks have a deep brown crust on both sides.
REMOVE
Remove the steaks from the skillet and set aside to rest on a wire rack.
Carryover cooking: The internal temperature will rise significantly while resting; pull the steak 5 degrees early.
Steaks are removed from the skillet and resting.
MELT
Reduce heat to medium. Add butter (2 tbsp) to the skillet and melt. Add the minced shallot (½ medium) and cook until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes.
Burnt butter: If the butter turns brown before adding shallots, the sauce will taste acrid.
Shallots are softened and translucent.
DEGLAZE
Time-sensitivePour in the cognac (¼ cups) (or brandy) and carefully ignite it with a long match or lighter. Let the alcohol burn off completely, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (fond).
Flare-up hazard: Ensure your range hood is off before igniting to prevent drawing flames into the ventilation system.
Alcohol has burned off and browned bits are scraped from the pan.
STIR
Pour in the heavy cream (½ cups) and beef broth (¼ cups). Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 3-5 minutes.
Broken sauce: High heat causes the cream to separate; keep the simmer gentle.
Sauce has thickened slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
SEASON
Season the sauce with salt to taste. Return the steaks to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them to warm through.
Overcooking: Do not leave the steaks in the simmering sauce for more than a minute or they will overcook.
Sauce is seasoned and steaks are warmed through.
SERVE
Garnish with fresh parsley (2 tbsp) and serve immediately.
Temperature loss: Plating on cold dishes will cause the sauce to congeal quickly.
Steaks are garnished with parsley and ready to serve.
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