Steak au Poivre
Pepper-crusted steak with cream sauce
Ingredients
- 500 g Beef sirloin
- 2 tbsp Black peppercorns (whole)
- 2 Shallot
- 80 ml Cognac / Brandy
- 150 ml Beef stock
- 120 ml Heavy cream
- 40 g Butter
- 1 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- 1 tbsp Parsley (optional)
Method
- Before you turn on any heat: pat the steaks completely dry with paper towels and trim them. Coarsely crush the peppercorns in a mortar (or under a heavy pan).
- Salt the steaks all over. Press the crushed pepper into both sides of each steak and pat firm. Rest 10 minutes at room temp.
- While the steaks rest, mince the shallot fine.
- Heat the oil and a knob of butter in a heavy pan over high until shimmering. Sear the steaks 3 minutes per side for medium-rare (60 °C / 140 °F internal). Lift onto a warm plate.
- Let the steaks rest on the warm plate while you make the sauce in the same pan (next steps).
- Pour off all but a thin film of fat. Reduce heat to medium. Sweat the minced shallot in the pan 2 minutes (don't brown).
- Pull pan OFF the heat (cognac will flame). Pour in the cognac, then return to medium heat. Let it bubble 1 minute, scraping up the fond (the flavourful browned bits).
- Add the beef stock and reduce it by half, about 2 minutes. Pour in the cream and Dijon. Simmer 3 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Off heat, swirl in the remaining cold butter to glaze. Taste. Add salt if needed.
- Plate the rested steaks. Spoon sauce over generously. Scatter parsley if using.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Steak au Poivre
Steak au poivre is one of the pillars of the French bistro repertoire, a dish built around the deceptively simple idea of pressing coarsely cracked black peppercorns into a good cut of beef before searing. The pepper crust does two things at once: it forms a spicy, aromatic bark that toasts against the hot pan, and it gives the finished plate a slow, warming heat that lingers rather than bites. Here the steak is sirloin, patted bone-dry and rested at room temperature so the surface caramelizes cleanly instead of steaming — the difference between a grey band and a proper crust.
What raises the dish above a plain seared steak is the pan sauce, made in the same skillet while the meat rests. Shallot softens in the beef fat, cognac deglazes the browned bits (traditionally flambeed to burn off the raw alcohol), and beef stock, cream, and a little Dijon reduce into something glossy and rich that carries the pepper right through. The result is a plate that tastes distinctly Parisian: peppery, boozy, and creamy all at once. Serve it the classic way with frites and a green salad, or with something to catch the sauce, and reach for a bold red like a Bordeaux alongside.
Steak au Poivre: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Steak au Poivre?
A serving has about 727 calories — 37.7g protein, 14.2g carbs, 51.3g fat, 3.7g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 37.7g of protein, roughly 21% of its calories.
Is Steak au Poivre gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Steak au Poivre has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Is Steak au Poivre dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Heavy cream, Butter. Swapping those for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Steak au Poivre take to make?
About 35 minutes start to finish, but only around 20 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Steak au Poivre?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out dijon mustard, parsley — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Steak au Poivre make?
This recipe makes 3 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.