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.
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
2 12 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
Heat a large stainless steel or cast iron pan to medium heat.
Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt kosher salt. Place the crushed peppercorns in a plate and press the steaks into the peppercorns on both sides to form a crust.
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.
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.
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).
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).
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.
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.
