Steak au Poivre

5 from 1 vote

Steak au poivre, or pepper steak, is a quick French recipe for juicy seared filet mignon crusted with cracked pepper and served with a boozy pan sauce made from cognac and cream.

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: steak au poivre, steak au poivre recipe

Servings: servings

Author: Katerina Petrovska

Equipment

Ingredients

4 filet mignon steaks 6 to 8 ounces each
4 teaspoons salt
¼ cup crushed peppercorns
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter divided
3 cloves garlic whole
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small shallot finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
⅔ cup cognac
1½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Season the meat. Pat the filet mignon dry and allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Season the beef (on both sides) with salt and press the peppercorns into both sides of each filet.
Sear. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the steak to the pan and sear for 6 minutes. Flip the filets.
Baste. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan along with the garlic cloves and thyme. Continue cooking the steak for 5 more minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the largest steak reads 125°F to 130˚F. All the while, spoon the melted butter over the steaks periodically.
Rest. Transfer the filets to a serving platter and set aside.
Saute the veggies. Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining butter to the same pan you cooked the steak in. Once the butter has melted, add the shallot. Saute until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 15 seconds or until fragrant.
Deglaze. Add the cognac to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Make it creamy. Turn the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
Serve. Pour the sauce over the steaks, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve.

Notes

Crush the whole peppercorns using a mortar and pestle.
Don't overcook the filet mignon; to prevent it from becoming dry, use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. I suggest aiming for an internal temp of 120-125°F, letting the carryover heat raise the steaks to a medium-rare of 130-135°F while they rest.

Nutrition