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Steak au Poivre with Brandied Cream Sauce

By

Published on August 22, 2007

Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 4

Steak au Poivre with Brandied Cream Sauce

Ingredients

Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter1 medium shallot, minced1 cup low-sodium beef broth¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth¼ cup heavy cream¼ cup brandy1 tablespoon brandy1 teaspoon lemon juice or 1 teaspoon champagne vinegarTable salt

Steaks

4 strip steaks (8 to 10 ounces each), ¾ to 1 inch thick and no larger than 3 inches at widest points, trimmed of exterior gristleTable salt1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed

Before You Begin

To save time, crush the peppercorns and trim the steaks while the broth mixture simmers. Many pepper mills do not have a sufficiently coarse setting. In that case, crush peppercorns with a sauté pan or rolling pin, (see below).

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat; when foaming subsides, add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add beef and chicken broths, increase heat to high, and boil until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Set reduced broth mixture aside. Rinse and wipe out skillet.
  2. Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of steaks with salt; rub one side of each steak with 1 teaspoon crushed peppercorns, and, using fingers, press peppercorns into steaks to make them adhere.
  3. Place now-empty skillet over medium heat until hot, about 4 minutes. Lay steaks unpeppered-side down in hot skillet, increase heat to medium-high, firmly press down on steaks with bottom of cake pan (see illustration below), and cook steaks without moving them until well-browned, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, flip steaks, firmly press down on steaks with bottom of cake pan, and cook on peppered side, about 3 minutes longer for rare, about 4 minutes longer for medium-rare, or about 5 minutes longer for medium. Transfer steaks to large plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
  4. Pour reduced broth, cream, and 1/4 cup brandy into now-empty skillet; increase heat to high and bring to boil, scraping pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Simmer until deep golden brown and thick enough to heavily coat back of metal tablespoon or soup spoon, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter, remaining 1 tablespoon brandy, lemon juice or vinegar, and any accumulated meat juices. Adjust seasonings with salt.
  5. Set steaks on individual dinner plates, spoon portion of sauce over steaks, and serve immediately.

Steak au Poivre with Brandied Cream Sauce

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Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

Ingredient check listSauce
Ingredient check listSteaks

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

Ingredient check listSauce
Ingredient check listSteaks

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

Ingredient check listSauce
Ingredient check listSteaks

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Our steak au poivre recipe had to be comparable to the best bistro examples—seared and encrusted with peppercorns and adorned with a silky, fragrant sauce— without ruining a pan and without our having to make veal stock to get a decent pan sauce. For our steak au poivre recipe, we peppered only one side of the steak to prevent scorched peppercorns and to create a nice sear and made a reduction of canned chicken and beef broths to create a quick, flavorful pan sauce.

Before You Begin

To save time, crush the peppercorns and trim the steaks while the broth mixture simmers. Many pepper mills do not have a sufficiently coarse setting. In that case, crush peppercorns with a sauté pan or rolling pin, (see below).

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat; when foaming subsides, add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add beef and chicken broths, increase heat to high, and boil until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Set reduced broth mixture aside. Rinse and wipe out skillet.
  2. Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of steaks with salt; rub one side of each steak with 1 teaspoon crushed peppercorns, and, using fingers, press peppercorns into steaks to make them adhere.
  3. Place now-empty skillet over medium heat until hot, about 4 minutes. Lay steaks unpeppered-side down in hot skillet, increase heat to medium-high, firmly press down on steaks with bottom of cake pan (see illustration below), and cook steaks without moving them until well-browned, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, flip steaks, firmly press down on steaks with bottom of cake pan, and cook on peppered side, about 3 minutes longer for rare, about 4 minutes longer for medium-rare, or about 5 minutes longer for medium. Transfer steaks to large plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
  4. Pour reduced broth, cream, and 1/4 cup brandy into now-empty skillet; increase heat to high and bring to boil, scraping pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Simmer until deep golden brown and thick enough to heavily coat back of metal tablespoon or soup spoon, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter, remaining 1 tablespoon brandy, lemon juice or vinegar, and any accumulated meat juices. Adjust seasonings with salt.
  5. Set steaks on individual dinner plates, spoon portion of sauce over steaks, and serve immediately.
  6. 6.Enjoy!
    Steak au Poivre with Brandied Cream Sauce

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Appears In

Episode • Season 3

Bistro Basics

Magazine

September / October 2001

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Equipment

The Best Kitchen Tongs

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