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5.0 from 66 votes

Steak au Poivre

This restaurant-worthy steak au poivre combines peppercorn-crusted steak that's seared and smothered in a creamy cognac and peppercorn sauce. It's easy to make and always impressive.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 2
Calories: 1044 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces New York Strip Steaks trimmed and removed from fridge 1 hour before
  • 3 tablespoons black peppercorns coarsely crushed
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil avocado, vegetable, canola, etc.
  • 1/3 cup cognac or brandy
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cold
  • 1 medium shallot minced
  • 1 tablespoon green peppercorns optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat a large stainless steel or cast iron pan to medium heat.
  2. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season with kosher salt. Place the crushed peppercorns on a plate and press the steaks into the peppercorns on both sides to form a crust.
  3. Add the vegetable oil to the hot pan and once shimmering add the steaks. Cook the steaks, undisturbed, for 4 minutes per side. If the steaks have a large amount of fat on their sides, stand them up with tongs and sear until browned.
  4. Cook the steaks until desired doneness (I prefer 120-125f initially which will allow carryover heat to bring steaks to medium-rare of 130-135f) then place the steaks on a cutting board and tent with foil. See notes below for extra thick steaks.
  5. Pour off the excess fat from the pan and add the shallot and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cognac. Place the pan back on the heat and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook until the cognac is almost evaporated (~2 minutes).
  6. Add the cream to the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until the sauce coats the back of a spoon (~2-3 minutes).
  7. Add the green peppercorns (optional) and season the sauce with salt to taste. Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter. Place 1/4 of the sauce at the bottom of two separate plates. Plate the steaks and pour the remaining sauce on top of each steak. Enjoy!

Notes

  • 4 minutes per side in a medium hot pan is roughly the amount of time a 10 to 12-ounce NY strip steak will take to reach 130-135f after tenting. 
  • If you have very thick steaks (1 1/2" plus) finish the steaks in a 350f oven until desired temp has been reached.  Use an instant-read thermometer placed into the center of the steak to properly check the internal temp.
  • Steak au poivre is best eaten right away instead of for leftovers.  

Nutrition Information

Calories 1044kcal (52%) Carbohydrates 1.7g (1%) Protein 60.7g (121%) Fat 81.2g (125%) Saturated Fat 37.2g (186%) Cholesterol 262mg (87%) Sodium 1567mg (65%) Potassium 47mg (1%) Sugar 0.1g (0%) Calcium 107mg (11%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1044

% Daily Value*

Calories 1044kcal 52%
Carbohydrates 1.7g 1%
Protein 60.7g 121%
Fat 81.2g 125%
Saturated Fat 37.2g 186%
Cholesterol 262mg 87%
Sodium 1567mg 65%
Potassium 47mg 1%
Sugar 0.1g 0%
Calcium 107mg 11%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.