Classic French Steak Au Poivre
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Want to impress someone (or just treat yourself)? Learn to make steak au poivre at home: pan-seared steak crusted with cracked peppercorns and finished with a rich Cognac cream sauce.
Steak au poivre is French for “pepper steak,” a classic bistro dish made with beef tenderloin or New York strip, crusted in coarsely crushed peppercorns and finished with a rich Cognac cream sauce.
I first learned to make this dish while working in a French restaurant, but I came to love it during my time living in France as an au pair. I can still picture my host mother, Valérie—an incredible home cook—crushing peppercorns with the back of a frying pan before searing the steaks in a blazing hot skillet.
This steak au poivre recipe stays true to the classic and is surprisingly simple to prepare. It’s often served with pommes frites, but my crispy potato wedges make a perfect—and easier—alternative. A simple roasted vegetable works well, too. To round out a bistro-style meal, start with French Onion Soup and finish with a classic French dessert like chocolate soufflé or crème brûlée.
“I made this for my husband on Valentine’s day and he said it was one of the best things I have ever cooked.”
What You’ll Need To Make Steak au Poivre
- Vegetable Oil: Used to sear the steaks for a rich, golden-brown crust; this type of oil stands up to the high heat required for a perfect sear.
- Filet mignons: Cut from the beef tenderloin, this lean, buttery-soft steak pairs nicely with the bold, peppery crust and rich, creamy sauce. New York strip steaks are also a great option if you prefer a heartier, more flavorful cut.
- Kosher salt and whole peppercorns: Kosher salt enhances the flavor of the steak and its coarse texture makes it easy to season evenly. Cracked black peppercorns form the signature spicy crust—don’t skimp! For a twist, you can swap in some green peppercorns, which are a bit milder.
- Unsalted Butter and shallots: Shallots cooked in butter add richness and depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Cognac: A splash deglazes the pan, picking up all those tasty browned bits and adding a touch of warmth and complexity to the sauce. Brandy works just as well if that’s what you have.
- Heavy cream: The key to the au poivre sauce’s creamy texture, it balances the heat of the peppercorns and enriches the flavor.
- Dijon mustard: Just a spoonful adds a gentle tang and depth you wouldn’t get from yellow mustard.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How to Make Steak Au poivre
Step 1: Prep the whole peppercorns. Seal the peppercorns inside a small plastic bag and place on a cutting board. Use a meat pounder to pound the peppercorns until they are coarsely crushed.
Step 2: Prep the steaks. Pat the steaks dry. If they are thick, gently press them down so that they are about 1½ inches tall. Season the steaks all over with the crushed peppercorns and kosher salt. Press it into the meat to make sure the seasoning adheres.
Step 3: Sear the steaks. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until it’s hot and shimmering. Add the steaks and let them cook undisturbed for about 4 minutes—you want a deep, golden crust to form, so resist the urge to move or fuss with them.
Pro tip: Use a heavy pan like cast iron or stainless steel. Cast iron holds heat exceptionally well, giving you an even, consistent sear, while stainless steel heats quickly and evenly—perfect for browning and building flavor for the sauce.
Step 4: Flip. Turn the steaks and cook for about 4 minutes more for medium-rare, or 5 minutes per side if you prefer them medium. Transfer the steaks to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm while you make the sauce.
🔥 Doneness Tip: Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness. Aim for these internal temps: 120–125°F for rare, 130–135°F for medium-rare, 135–145°F for medium. The steaks will continue to cook slightly as they rest.
Step 5: Start the sauce. 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.
Step 6: Add the Cognac. Carefully add the Cognac and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. You can flambé the alcohol if you’d like, but it’s not necessary—simmering will burn it off just the same.
🔥 Be Cautious. When you add the Cognac, it may flare up—especially if you’re cooking over a gas flame. The alcohol can ignite unexpectedly, and the flames can leap higher than you’d expect (sometimes a little too close to your cabinets!). To stay on the safe side, you can remove the pan from the heat before adding the Cognac, then return it to the burner once the alcohol has burned off.
Step 7: Reduce. Cook the until the liquid is reduced to a glaze and mostly absorbed by the shallots. This will take a few minutes.
Step 8: Finish the sauce. Add the cream and mustard to the shallots, and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer until the au poivre sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Stir in any meat juices that accumulated on the plate—this adds tons of flavor.
Step 9: Serve. Transfer the steaks to plates and spoon the Cognac peppercorn sauce over top.
Video Tutorial
More French Recipes You May Like
Steak au Poivre
Steak au poivre may sound fancy, but with a few simple ingredients, you can make this French bistro favorite in under 30 minutes.
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
We made this the other night but grilled our filets! For the sauce, we added a little extra butter, per Jenn’s recommendation and….WOW. Unbelievable. The sauce was just as delicious cold the next day with leftover filet, per the family! Thanks for another weeknight winner! You are amazing.
I have not made any of your recipes BUT as a classically trained French chef myself I must congratulate you.
I am so tired of hearing the phrases ‘easy’ and ‘family friendly’. Normally such descriptions are due to short cuts being taken and the recipes are poor.
Your method and descriptions are perfect and you should be proud of putting together excellent recipes which will work perfectly.
Bravo!
Chef Paulus
Axat France
Thanks so much for your kind words!
Terrific recipe. I need to make 8 steaks.
Do you recommend I cook the steak in batches and double the sauce recipe? Thx!
Yes, I think that would be the way to go. Hope everyone enjoys!
This Steak Au Poivre is better than any similar steak in a restaurant. We are making it for the third time. It is so tasty and easy to make. We’d rather cook with you than go out to eat. I’ve easily made a hundred of your recipes…every one is outstanding. Thanks Jenn
💗
Amazing!! Made this for Valentine’s Day and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing your gifts and talents with us, Jenn!
Excellent! Made this last night for Christmas dinner, and it was a hit. Thank you for another wonderful recipe! Made other dishes from Once Upon a Chef for Christmas dinner: Potatoes Au Gratin (a family favorite) and Cheesecake with Berry Sauce (first time making and it was fantastic). Thank you for developing and sharing such wonderful recipes – I am so grateful!
💗
This was a lovely recipe I made for an anniversary dinner and the teens loved it too. It brought back memories from 30 years ago as an 18 year old, when I ate & drank my way thru France and Luxembourg for a month. Steak au Poivre or Sole Meuniere were my favorites! The simplicity of the French classics makes them timeless. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Can you share what Brandy you recommend? Thanks
Hi Bonnie, I generally use Courvoisier brander for this. 😊
Hi Jenn –
I’m a big fan, have both of your cookbooks and followed your blog early on. I refer all my friends to your website.
My husband and I are going to Washington DC three nights before heading down to Blackberry farm in Tennessee. What steakhouse would you recommend in DC?
Thanks!
Hi Carol, thanks for your nice words about the recipes, your support of the cookbooks, and spreading the word about the blog! In terms of steakhouses, I’d recommend either The Palm or The Capital Grille. Hope you enjoy wherever you go and have a great trip!
Perfect steaks everytime now that I found you. Ty
Soooo good and so easy! I made this yesterday for Valentine’s Day and the presentation/deliciousness value to work was off the charts! I had one very thick filet mignon so I halved it to make thinner steaks and halved the recipe, using half and half instead of heavy cream. I covered the steak with foil and put in a 180 degree oven on dinner plates to keep the steaks warm while finishing the sauce. It was perfect! Our only dilemma was whether to drink a sparkling wine or good cabernet with the meal!