Grilled Steak with Peppercorn Sauce Recipe
An exciting but simple recipe for steak au poivre or steak with peppercorn sauce.
Equipment
- heavy skillet
Ingredients
- 2 filet mignon or New York strip steaks (about 1.5 inches thick)
- 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns coarsely cracked
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil canola or grapeseed
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- ¼ cup port or red wine
- ½ cup prepared demi glace homemade or high-quality store-bought
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream optional for a softer finish
Instructions
Prep the Steaks
- Pat steaks dry. Press cracked pepper onto both sides. Season lightly with kosher salt.
Sear the Steaks
- Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, sear steaks 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare, adjusting for thickness. Remove to a plate and tent with foil.
Deglaze the Pan
- Turn heat to medium. Add the port — pull the pan off the heat first if you're working over a gas flame — and scrape up the browned bits.
Build the Sauce
- Stir in the demi-glace and simmer 3–5 minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the cream now if you want a softer finish.
Finish
- Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Return the steaks to the pan briefly to warm through and coat with sauce.
Serve
- Spoon the sauce over the steaks and serve immediately, with pommes purée or haricots verts.
Notes
Classic steak au poivre traditionally uses cognac. This version has always used something more practical — port, which keeps for months once opened, unlike red wine, which you'd need to finish within a day or two. A good Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot makes a good substitute if you'd rather use red wine. Either way: don't cook with something you wouldn't drink on its own.