Steak Au Poivre
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Master the art of cooking classic French steak au poivre—a pan-seared filet mignon coated in crunchy peppercorns and napped in a rich Cognac sauce. It’s très délicieux and a total showstopper!
When I was twenty years old, I signed up to work as a summer au pair in Paris. I went there believing I’d be visiting museums and lingering in Parisian cafés as the children scampered about me in adorable berets, always ready and willing to take a nap when I needed a break. HA! I still laugh about that to this day. Instead, I was taking care of three mischievous little boys—and a puppy—running errands, and ironing children’s clothes for hours on end.
But the job did have one special thing going for it: my host mother, Valérie, was a wonderful cook. When I think of her today, I still picture her standing at the kitchen table, crushing peppercorns with the back of a frying pan for her steak au poivre—a beef tenderloin fillet with a crunchy peppercorn crust, napped with a rich Cognac sauce.
Table of Contents
“I made this for my husband on Valentine’s day and he said it was one of the best things I have ever cooked. Thank you!”
What You’ll Need To Make Steak au Poivre
- Filet mignons: Cut from the beef tenderloin, this lean and tender cut complements the bold peppery crust and creamy sauce.
- Whole peppercorns: Cracked by hand, they create the signature spicy crust that defines the dish.
- Shallots: Their mild, sweet onion flavor adds a layer of complexity to the sauce without overwhelming the taste of the steak.
- Cognac: Deglazes the pan, adding a complex, slightly sweet flavor that’s the foundation of the sauce.
- Heavy cream: The key to the sauce’s creamy texture, it balances the heat of the peppercorns and enriches the overall dish.
- Dijon mustard: Adds tanginess and depth to the sauce.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, seal the peppercorns inside a small plastic bag and place on a cutting board. Using a meat pounder, pound the peppercorns until they are coarsely crushed.
Pat the steaks dry and, if they are thick, gently press them down so that they are about 1-1/2 inches tall. Season the steaks all over with the crushed peppercorns and salt, pressing to make sure the seasoning adheres.
In a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the steaks and cook about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, until nicely browned.
Flip the steaks and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer the steaks to a plate and tent with foil.
Pour off the excess fat from the pan but do not wipe clean. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter and shallots.
Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping up the brown bits, until the shallots are golden brown and softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Carefully add the Cognac (it may ignite) and bring to a boil stirring to to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Cook until the liquid is reduced to a glaze and mostly absorbed by the shallots, a few minutes.
Add the cream and mustard and bring to a gently boil.
Cook until thickened, about 3 minutes, and then stir in any meat juices that accumulated on the plate.
Transfer the steaks to plates and spoon the sauce over top.
Frequently Asked Questions
The key to achieving your preferred level of doneness is using a meat thermometer and understanding the correct internal temperatures: 120-125°F for rare, 130-135°F for medium-rare, 140-145°F for medium, 150-155°F for medium-well, and 160-165°F for well done. Remember to remove the steak from the heat a few degrees before it reaches the target temperature, as it will continue to cook while resting. Allowing the steak to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving also helps redistribute the juices, ensuring a moist and flavorful steak.
I like to serve steak au poivre with simple sides that all the dish to truly shine. Consider roasted potatoes, French green beans, roasted brussels sprouts, roasted asparagus, or sautéed asparagus and peas.
For cooking steak, I recommend cast iron or stainless steel skillets. Cast iron provides superior heat retention for an even sear, while stainless steel offers excellent heat transfer and is great for browning and making sauces. Both are perfect for getting that restaurant-quality sear that truly makes a great steak.
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Steak au Poivre
Master the art of cooking classic French steak au poivre—a pan-seared filet mignon coated in crunchy peppercorns and napped in a rich Cognac sauce. It’s très délicieux and a total showstopper!
Ingredients
- Four 6- to 8-ounce filet mignons
- 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup finely chopped shallots, from 1 medium shallot
- ½ cup Cognac or other brandy
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Pat the steaks dry and, if they are thick, gently press them down so that they are about 1½ inches thick. Season the steaks all over with the salt.
- Seal the peppercorns inside a small plastic bag and place on a cutting board. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a frying pan, pound the peppercorns until they are coarsely crushed. Press the crushed pepper evenly onto both sides of the steaks.
- In a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the steaks and cook about 4 minutes on each side, turning only once, for medium-rare (or about 5 minutes per side for medium). Transfer the steaks to a plate and tent with foil.
- Pour off the excess fat from the pan but do not wipe clean. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter and shallots. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping up the brown bits, until the shallots are golden brown and softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully add the Cognac (it may ignite) and boil, again stirring to scrape up the brown bits, until the liquid is reduced to a glaze and mostly absorbed by the shallots, a few minutes. Add the cream and mustard and gently boil until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in any meat juices that accumulated on the plate. Transfer the steaks to plates and spoon the sauce over top.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 6-oz filet
- Calories: 721
- Fat: 55 g
- Saturated fat: 26 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Sugar: 2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Sodium: 587 mg
- Cholesterol: 217 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I have never cooked a typical steak in my life – I generally leave that to my husband as he prepares a wonderful steak on the stovetop. However, it was our anniversary and I was wanted to surprise him with an elegant dinner. This steak recipe was perfect! Cooked about 5-6 minutes on each side because our filet mignons were a little thicker than the 1.5 inches. It was so good, especially considering this was my first attempt! Served with Jenn’s suggestion of roasted potatoes and French green beans. I make these sides all the time and they are easy, but still elevated enough to make a wonderful special dinner. Amazing!! And the sauce is sooo good!! Thank you for making our anniversary so special!!
This was fabulous! And easy. Cooked on cast iron skillet on stovetop. Thank you!