Steak Au Poivre with Brandied Cream Sauce

We don’t eat a ton of red meat around here, but sometimes you just have a hankering for a good steak.

My in house taste tester LOVES pepper. He peppers everything, including his bread! 

So when I saw this recipe for Steak Au Poivre in the new America’s Test Kitchen Magazine I knew I had to give it a try.

It was really very easy and it tasted amazing!

What you need,

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Sauce

4 tbsp. butter

1 shallot, minced

1 cup beef broth

¾ cup low sodium chicken broth

¼ cup + 1 tbsp. brandy

¼ cup heavy cream

1 tsp. lemon juice

Salt

Steaks

2-4 (8-10oz) strip steaks, about 1 inch thick, trimmed

Salt

1 tbsp. black peppercorns, crushed

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

In a pot over medium heat melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes.

Add the beef and chicken broths, increase the heat to high and boil until reduced to about ½ cup. This will take 8-10 minutes. Set mixture aside once it has reduced.

Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt. Rub one side of each steak with the cracked black pepper. Press the pepper with your fingers to adhere it well.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot, about 4 minutes. Lay the steaks, unpeppered side down into the hot skillet, immediately increase the heat to medium high. Press firmly down on the steaks with the bottom of a cake pan or flat pot lid. Cook without moving them until well browned, about 6 minutes.

Using tongs flip the steaks over. Press firmly on the steaks again with the cake pan or pot lid. Cook until desired doneness, another 3-5 minutes.

Transfer steaks to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

Pour the reduced stock mixture, ¼ cup brandy and the cream into the now empty skillet. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to heavily coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, remaining 1 tablespoon of brandy and lemon juice.

Season the sauce with salt to taste.

Serve the steaks with the sauce. 

A nice big scoop of fluffy buttermilk mashed potatoes on the side goes great.

The sauce is to die for, and makes great gravy for the potatoes as well.

I am very happy with how these steaks turned out! I will be making them again for sure!

Jen

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen