Home » Ingredient » Beef » Steak au Poivre (Peppered Steak) – A Luxury Mid-Week Meal in 15 Minutes

Steak au Poivre (Peppered Steak) – A Luxury Mid-Week Meal in 15 Minutes

Steak au poivre, or peppered steak, is a luxury mid-weak meal you can whip up in 15 minutes! Don’t save it for only weekends!

steak au poivre with frites

How much do you think this steak au poivre with a side would be at a decent restaurant?

This post may contain Amazon affiliate links, at no additional cost to you.

Easily a minimum of $35, right? Multiply that times two, add tax and tip, and the bill is pushing $100 and that doesn’t include a beverage (or other members of the family)!

Text box with quote: "Most Stunning..elegant and mouthwatering recipe….saved and posted to all my social media…" -Zouhair

steak au poivre with frites

Making a restaurant type meal at home saves a lot of $.

I think many people don’t realize just how simple it is to make “restaurant-style meals” at home. When making steak au poivre, you can choose your own organic, grass fed steak for much less than half the price you’d pay at a steak restaurant (we all love to eat out once in a while, but many of us can’t do it often.) Of course you do realize for that $35, most places are not serving you quality, organic, grass-fed steaks.

peppering a raw steak

Before I go any further, I want to explain that one of the main goals I have in writing this: to convince readers that eating well doesn’t have to entail endless hours in the kitchen. Or the fact that you don’t need to deplete your savings account when you go to the grocery store. In fact, if you are eating out, or ordering in, or buying pre-made meals, cooking at home will actually save you money (and your health).

steak au poivre with a brandy cream sauce
Taken after the swim meet in low light.

Also, please note that my photos are grainy on this post because this is what I made for dinner after being at my daughter’s swim finals for hours earlier that day and into the early evening. I cooked this at 7:30 p.m., and there wasn’t much natural light at that time, therefore, the grainy photos!

My point is that if I can make this steak au poivre and take pictures in 20 minutes, it’ll take you even less time just to cook the steaks.

Another recipe you may enjoy, my pork schnitzel!

pork schnitzel and fries

The photos you see on my site is the food my family and I are eating.  My food photos are real. They are not some shellac-sprayed, boot polished, painted, or photo-shopped dish that looks fabulous, but is completely inedible.

By the way, I am not a steak person, in fact, I will not eat a thick steak, unless it’s prepared au poivre. So do I really need to talk about the fabulous brandy and cream sauce, combined with the flavor of the crushed pepper on the tender, seared steak?

I didn’t think so.

What Does au Poivre Mean?

This is French for made with pepper (black pepper). It would be the same as Italian dishes like spaghetti alla carbonara. “Made in the style of,” type of dishes.

steak au poivre with frites

Steak au Poivre (Peppered Steak)

adapted from a Bella Magazine recipe         serves 2

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

NOTE: Although the steaks are encrusted with black peppercorns, because they are not finely ground, the dish is not very spicy. However, if making this for young children, you can omit the peppercorns and serve the plain steak with the sauce (all the alcohol is burned off).

Crush the peppercorns coarsely with a mortar and pestle. Another option is to place them in a plastic bag and crush with a heavy object, like a pan or rolling pin.

crushing peppercorns with a mortar and pestle

Place peppercorns on a flat plate or waxed or parchment paper, then press the steaks into the peppercorns to coat well on each side. Use all the pepper. I love these trays for jobs like this.

coating the raw steak with crushed peppercorns

Cook the Steaks

Heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Then, increase the heat to high, add the steaks and sear for two minutes on one side.

raw steaks just added to a pan with peppercorns

Turn the steaks over and continue to sear the other side for two minutes. Next, reduce the heat to medium, season with salt, and continue to cook the steaks for the following:

1 or 2 more minutes, each side, for RARE

3 more minutes, each side, for MEDIUM

5 to 6 more minutes, each side for WELL-DONE

steaks in a pan coated with crushed peppercorns

Season the other side with salt, and when cooked to your preference, remove steaks from pan. Place on plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. You can also keep them in a warm oven.

Steak au Poivre (Peppered Steak) sizzling in a pan

Make the Pepper Sauce for the Steak au Poivre

brandy for steak au poivre in a measuring glass

Meanwhile, pour the measured brandy into the pan, and warm slightly. TURN OFF gas or electric burner, remove the pan from the heat. Now, carefully light the brandy with a match (preferably a long one-and keep a tight fitting lid nearby, just for insurance).

Once the flames have dissipated, return the pan to the burner over low heat.

flaming brandy in a pan

Add the cream, stirring well to clean all the flavorful bits from the bottom and sides of the pan.

making pepper sauce

Serve the Steak au Poivre

Place the steaks on plates and serve the brandy/cream sauce over the top. Along with a simple side salad, and/or fries, and you have a perfect meal.

steak au poivre

*Tip: you can crush the peppercorns ahead of time, so this meal takes even less time to prepare.

If you have someone who doesn’t like pepper, you can serve this authentic Béarnaise sauce with their steak.

steak au poivre with frites

Steak au Poivre (Peppered Steak) - A Luxury Mid-Week Meal in 15 Minutes

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Recipe based on a Bella magazine recipe I had cut out many years ago. Steak with a brandy, peppercorn, cream sauce.
5 from 11 votes

Special Equipment

  • 1 mortar and pestle (optional)

Ingredients

  • 2 ribeye steaks (mine were about 8 oz/ 225 g, preferably organic, grass fed beef- in UK use Scotch fillet)
  • 2 Tbsp whole black peppercorns (see notes)
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • tsp Kosher salt (to taste)
  • 2 Tbsp brandy
  • cup heavy cream (you can substitute half and half for less fat)
  • ¼ tsp parsley (to garnish, if desired)

Instructions

  • Crush the peppercorns coarsely with a mortar and pestle. Another option is to place them in a plastic bag and crush with a heavy object, like a pan or rolling pin.
  • Place peppercorns on a flat plate or waxed or parchment paper, then press the steaks into the peppercorns to coat well on each side. Use all the pepper.
  • Heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Then, increase the heat to high, add the steaks and sear for two minutes on one side.
  • Turn the steaks over and continue to sear the other side for two minutes. Next, reduce the heat to medium, season with salt, and continue to cook the steaks for the following: 1 or 2 more minutes, each side, for RARE. 3 more minutes, each side, for MEDIUM. 5 to 6 more minutes,each side for WELL-DONE.
  • Season the other side with salt, and when cooked to your preference, remove steaks from pan. Place on plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. You can also keep them in a warm oven.
  • Meanwhile, pour the brandy into the pan, and warm slightly. TURN OFF gas or electric burner, remove the pan from the heat. Now, carefully light the brandy with a match (preferably a long one-and keep a tight fitting lid nearby, just for insurance).
  • Once the flames have dissipated, return the pan to the burner over low heat.
  • Add the cream, stirring well to clean all the flavorful bits from the bottom and sides of the pan.
  • Place the steaks on plates and serve the brandy/cream sauce over the top. Along with a simple side salad, and/or vegetable or baked potato and you have a perfect meal.

Notes

  • Although the steaks are encrusted with black peppercorns, because they are not finely ground, the dish is not very spicy. However, if making this for young children, you can omit the peppercorns and serve the plain steak with the sauce (all the alcohol is burned off).

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 477mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 831IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3mg

Don’t miss another recipe or travel post, sign up for my free subscription below!

Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, with no added cost to you.

5 from 11 votes (11 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




24 Comments