A great steak au poivre is all about contrast: deeply browned steak, a silky cream sauce, and enough cracked black pepper to cut through all that richness. This version, adapted from Molly Baz’s Cook This Book, pairs thick-cut New York strip steaks with a quick pan sauce of cognac, heavy cream, shallot, garlic, and plenty of coarsely crushed peppercorns. For the best crust, pat the steaks dry and leave them undisturbed when they first hit the hot skillet (Watch video: How to Sear Steak the Right Way).
Fresh peppercorns matter too: Crushing them coarsely rather than grinding them finely gives the sauce its signature peppery bite and crunch. Once the steaks are resting, use the same skillet—and all those flavorful browned bits—to build the sauce. Keep an eye on the cream once it goes in. It only needs to simmer briefly, until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
Then slice the steak against the grain, return any juices from the cutting board to the pan, and spoon that peppery sauce generously over top. Try this recipe with this expert pick from the Bon Appétit Wine Shop. Steak Au Poivre FAQs
This recipe was adapted for style from ‘Cook This Book’ by Molly Baz. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
Source: www.bonappetit.com
