Authentic Steak au Poivre Recipe France, Europe

The epitome of fine dining, steak au poivre is considered a classic of French cuisine. A steak is crusted with crushed peppercorns, quickly seared on both sides, and coated in a quick pan sauce. The traditional choice of meat is the tender filet mignon, but other boneless beef cuts are also popular, especially New York strip, ribeye, and sirloin. Although peppercorns are used when preparing both the meat and the sauce, the dish can still qualify as steak au poivre if they are used only in the sauce. Black peppercorns are the standard option, but some recipes also ask for green, red, or white peppercorns, or a combination of the three. The pan sauce is made by deglazing the remaining bits of peppercorns and meat from the pan with cognac, red wine, or stock. Shallots are a common ingredient, while cream is usually added to thicken the sauce, which may be given an optional flambé. If necessary, some butter is added at the end for an extra hit of richness. Steak au poivre is served ... Read more