Ground and whole peppercorns have been used since antiquity, both for flavor and as medicine. Black pepper is the world’s most traded spice, accounting for nearly 20% of all spice imports. Up until the mid-1500s, cooking with pepper was considered a sign of wealth. Enjoy a plentiful serving of peppercorns with this tasty and decadent dish.

Steak au Poivre- Peppercorn Encrusted Steak with Chambord sauce

This classic recipe of pepper-crusted steak is simple and easy to make. It allows for the subtle flavor variations that come from the type of brandy, cream, cut of steak, and mustard used. The magnificent Chambord raspberry brandy is used here to add a brightness to the dish. Serve with French fries and a nice red wine to bring the Paris Bistro experience into your house. Berets optional.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: French, Parisian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Dry brine meat: 30

Total Time: 50

Servings:

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Large skillet, baking pan with rack, mallet

Ingredients

4 6 oz beef tenderloin,1-inch thick, or any other preferred steak, thin cut
Kosher salt
1½ oz Whole black peppercorn
2 tbsp Unsalted butter
1 tsp Dried thyme
1 medium Garlic clove, chopped
2 tbsp Shallot, minced (Sub: red or vidalia onion)
2 tbsp Chambord, raspberry brandy (Sub: Cognac or brandy)
¾ cup Chicken bone broth
¾ cup Heavy cream or sour cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Prep – Pat steaks dry with a paper towel, season both sides with salt. Crush peppercorns roughly with a mallet, back of a heavy pan, or mortar and pestle. Press one side of the steaks into the crushed peppercorns.
Cook Steak – In a large cast iron skillet, heat oil to sizzling. Add steaks, peppercorn side down and cook for 3 minutes. With a spatula, flip steaks being very careful not to break the peppercorn crust. Add butter, thyme, and garlic and cook for another 3-4 minutes, basting steaks with a spoon until well seared on the other side. Put aside on a warm dish.
Make Sauce – Pour off all but 1 tbsp of fat from the pan. Add shallots and unused crushed peppers. Turn heat on to medium-high to cook for 2 minutes. Add Chambord and cook until alcohol has burned away and it's almost totally reduced, 1-2 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits along the way. Whisk in cream and reduce sauce a bit. Whisk in mustard and season with salt.
Server – Return steaks to pan and spoon sauce over them. Arrange steaks on a platter or individual plates and top with remaining sauce. Serve with pomme frites or garlic-mashed potatoes and steamed green beans.