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Steak au Poivre (Pepper Steak)
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Recipes
Source: Wikibooks contributors
Adapted: Imported and reformatted by HowManyCookies from the cited Wikibooks revision.
Source revision: Revision 4511165
License: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikibooks contributors
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 4 ea. (24–32 ounces) beef tenderloin steaks, 1 inch thick
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns, cracked
- ⅓ cup cognac
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tsp olive oil
Directions
- Sprinkle steaks on both sides liberally with kosher salt. Press peppercorns into both sides of each steak. Let sit for 30 minutes or until room temperature.
- Melt 1 tbsp butter with oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium high heat. Add steaks and cook 5 minutes per side for medium rare, 6 for medium, and 7 for well done. Remove from pan and keep warm.
- Raise heat in pan to high. Turn off the heat, then deglaze pan with cognac. Carefully ignite with a firestick or kitchen lighter, then swirl the pan until flames die.
- Put heat to medium and whisk continuously to remove fond. Bring to a boil and cook until liquid has reduced by half.
- Whisk in cream. Bring to a boil and cook until liquid has reduced to ⅓ cup.
- Slowly whisk in butter, 1 tbsp at a time. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve warm.
Notes
Don't even think about using a nonstick pan. You can't build a pan sauce in a nonstick skillet.
If you don't want to ignite the cognac, you do not have to. It just makes a performance that makes people stare at you with amazement.
If you do choose to ignite, remember to keep a lid, in case things get out of hand, and a fire extinguisher, in case something bad happens and you need it.