dinner
Steak au Poivre
You don’t need a French culinary degree to create our tender, juicy peppercorn-crusted steak topped with a beefed-up Cognac cream sauce. Bon appetit!
Servings:
2
Total Time:
55m
Prep Time:
40m
Cooking Time:
15m
Ingredients
For the steak:
- 2 New York strip steaks
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the sauce:
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup Cognac or other brandy
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Preparation Instructions
- Prep the steak—Remove steaks from refrigerator, salt on all sides, and rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. While steak rests, crush peppercorns with a mortar and pestle and spread evenly on a plate. Press steaks into peppercorns on both sides until evenly coated.
- Sear the steak—Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and starts to sizzle, add steaks to skillet and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare (or more or less time to achieve your optimal steak temperature). Transfer steaks to a plate, tent with foil and allow to rest at least 5 minutes before serving.
- Make the sauce—Pour off excess fat from steak skillet and add butter and minced shallot. Sauté shallot until tender, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add Cognac to pan, and carefully ignite with kitchen lighter. Shake pan gently until flames subside as alcohol is burned off. Return skillet to medium heat and pour in beef stock and cream. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking frequently, and cook until sauce has thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Plate and serve—Place steaks on individual plates, top with warm sauce, and serve immediately.
Tips
Crush It!
No mortar and pestle? Simply place peppercorns in a kitchen towel or heavy plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin, meat tenderizer, or the back of a skillet.
Playing with Fire
Flambéing Cognac burns off the alcohol and caramelizes the sugars to create a more scrumptious sauce. Keep a large skillet lid nearby to quickly smother flames, if needed.