Simple Steak au Poivre Recipe (2024)

I've used a variant for a long time. Twice a year, I fill small jars with varieties of peppercorns and then fill the jars with brandy. After two months or so, the pepercorns soften and the brandy becomes very spicy. I like being able to eat the peppercorns rather than brush them aside. I've started using these for burgers, salad dressings, even salsa.

Sear in a lighter colored pan (stainless steel) so you can monitor the fond. If you burn the fond, the pan sauce will be lousy. Don't sear in a dark pan if you're making a pan sauce afterward. Pan sauces coming out of a cast iron pan can pucker your mouth with an iron taste depending on what you use to deglaze the pan.

I love this recipe. I made my steaks larger and just used heavy cream, increased the butter content and only used a small amount of beef broth to capture the flavor. I will try the creme fraiche next time (I didn't have time to make it for this meal). Really a classic dish. One of my favorites!

I sear both sides of steak in a hot cast iron pan, cooking for a few minutes per side, then finish to desired temp in the oven. Prepare sauce as described above. When done, spoon sauce onto plate, then put steak on top. Seeing the sear on the steak gives appeal, as opposed to hiding it under the sauce.

Great recipe. It will be my go to it recipe when I cook steaks. I added sliced crimini mushrooms to the shallots (we like mushrooms with our steak) and added green peppercorns as well--it just adds another layer of flavor. I didn't have beef broth, so I used chicken and it worked well. I served this with risotto with peas and a green salad topped with feta and pecans. It was a wonderful meal.

Loved the recipe but searing the steak on the stovetop created some major smoke. Next time I'd either do that partially in the oven to contain it, or make the steak on cast iron on the grill, and then bring the pan in to make the sauce indoors.

I used a medley of pepper corns and stayed away from the ultra-piquant Sichuan; at the last minute I used mayonnaise in place of the creme fraiche (which I had intended to omit altogether) and will make that substitution again and again.

Really great recipe; I like the crème fraîche over heavy cream as it adds a bit more complexity. I've made it with and without the Sichuan peppers, and it's good either way though the Sichuan definitely adds an interesting note.

This was excellent. It felt like a gourmet meal without all the hassle. Great for date night or to impress guests. One note: the sauce is fairly thin. I might try to thicken it up next time.

NOT a good idea to heat a cast-iron pan at highest temperature setting unless you want to activate the smoke detector. I suggest you preheat pan in 350 oven for 15 minutes, remove (with oven mitt) and test for sizzle with a bit of water over a medium-high burner. For searing the steak, a high smoke-point, neutral-tasting fat like grapeseed oil is better than butter, which burns easily (save butter for sauteeing the shallots).

It calls for Sichuanpepper not Szechuan. Sichuan pepper is similar to black pepper but it makes your lips and mouth tingle a little.

The filet mignons sold at my local store run 8 oz and 1.5-2" thick, and would have been cold-raw after only 4 minutes on the stove. After the 2-min sear on each side, I put them in a 400 oven for 6 min and let them rest another 5. They came out a perfect even dark pink throughout. Sichuan pepper is not for everyone. I find its famous numbing effect actually numbs my taste buds. This recipe is delicious & has plenty of zing if you just use more black pepper instead of the Sichuan.

Brush: Sichuan pepper and Szechuan pepper are the same thing. Both are different transliterations of the name for the Chinese province.

A really great dish without a lot of fuss! I did not use the Sichuan pepper because I couldn't find it. The creme fraiche adds a sophisticated note. The sauce is delicious, and the steaks came out perfect! I paired this with this site's scalloped potatoes recipe (highly recommend!) http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012825-scalloped-potatoes
as well as oven roasted asparagus. It was an impressive dinner:)

Excellent sauce. I didn’t want to use szechuan so chopped up a small amt of fresno pepper to add instead. I have to admit that I added 1/4 tsp of gochujang, which is probably heresy, but I needed a hint of tomato / vinegar in mine. Anyway however you do it this is a v good, v flexible sauce.

Delicious! Trader Joe's most premium/choice filets, grilled with pepper imbedded...the sauce was still divine, even though it was not made with any flavor from sautéing the steaks. Melt in mouth. SO easy!

Fantastic dinner party fare! Used 1.5- 2" New York steaks and only covered one side of the steak with cracked pepper to ensure I had crispy meat for the fond. I added back the remaining cracked pepper to saute along with butter and shallots after removing the seared steak from the stainless steel pan I used. Also increased cognac to 4 T instead of the recommended 2T and used 1/2 c cream with chicken broth. Delicious sauce!

Exceptionally simple, exceptionally delicious. I make this once or twice a year for my partner as a treat using high quality tenderloin—makes a big difference. Follow the recipe exactly, you won’t be disappointed!

This was good and easy. I used a cast iron pan and had no problems with the sauce tasting funny - might have to do with how well seasoned the pan is? I also used one of the other commenter's suggestions of using mayonnaise instead of creme fraiche - brilliant! also added mushrooms with the shallots for the pan sauce. We will definitely make this again!

Great and easy recipe. Used black peppercorns only. Took advice from other note to brown steak and then finish off in 350 oven.

I like to use about 2/3 black pepper corns and 1/3 yellow mustard seed both coarsely crushed in a mortar and pestle.

Winner- super simple but an orchestral symphony of tastes!

Typo : I mean frambe

An easy to follow recipe. I did one minor change — I pour the cognac on the steak and frame the steak.

I used a cast iron pan over a propane grill outside for the steak and sauce. Next time I’ll use my Instaread thermometer as one steak was a little too rare. I watched the sauce carefully and It was delicious. It was an excellent steak!

Fabulous and truly simple. Hardest part is stirring the sauce. Made the amount of sauce recommended with two small steaks, had none left over. Double the recipe if you are making this for 4. Truly decadent.

Lots of good advice in the notes so I’ll add one more. This was well received at home, along with a side of beef fat potatoes and charred poblano. Sichuan peppercorn flavor did not come through but I think it’s because the peppercorns sat on my shelf a little too long. Next time I would try to bloom the spices in a dry pan or just get some fresh at the market.

Didn’t have Szechuan peppers so used black pepper and coriander and it was perf! If your broth is a little salty just be mindful with added salt to sauce

I like using mustard seeds instead of the Sichuan pepper corns but you can use more than 1 teaspoon.