Steak Au Poivre with Brandied Cream Sauce for Two
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 18, 2020
Time
35 minutes
Yield
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 (8-ounce) boneless strip steaks, ¾ inch thick, trimmedSalt and pepper 4 teaspoons black peppercorns, cracked5 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 shallot, minced1 teaspoon all-purpose flour ¾ cup chicken broth 3 tablespoons brandy 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives 2 teaspoons lemon juice ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Before You Begin
Do not substitute finely ground pepper for the cracked peppercorns here.
Instructions
- Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt. Rub peppercorns evenly over 1 side of each steak and, using your fingers, press peppercorns into steaks to adhere.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place steaks, peppered side up, in skillet. Firmly press on steaks with bottom of cake pan and cook until well browned on first side, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Flip steaks and reduce heat to medium. Firmly press on steaks with bottom of cake pan and continue to cook until meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 1 to 4 minutes longer; transfer to plate and tent with aluminum foil. Pour off fat from skillet and remove any stray peppercorns.
- Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 2 tablespoons brandy, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in cream and any accumulated meat juices and simmer for 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in chives, lemon juice, mustard, and remaining 1 tablespoon brandy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve steaks with sauce.
Time
35 minutesYield
Serves 2Ingredients
2 (8-ounce) boneless strip steaks, ¾ inch thick, trimmed
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons black peppercorns, cracked
5 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
¾ cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Ingredients
2 (8-ounce) boneless strip steaks, ¾ inch thick, trimmed
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons black peppercorns, cracked
5 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
¾ cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Ingredients
2 (8-ounce) boneless strip steaks, ¾ inch thick, trimmed
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons black peppercorns, cracked
5 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
¾ cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Why This Recipe Works
For our scaled-down version, we started with beefy, well-marbled boneless strip steaks. For the peppercorn crust, cracked black peppercorns provided just the right balance of sharp bite, intense flavor, and subtle smokiness. To ensure that the heat from the peppercorns didn't overwhelm the dish, we opted to coat only one side of each steak. Pressing the steaks with a cake pan as they cooked guaranteed a good sear; this produced plenty of fond, which we used to develop a rich foundation of flavor for the accompanying sauce. Reserving a small amount of the brandy to stir into the sauce just before serving ensured that its flavor came through in the finished dish.
Before You Begin
Do not substitute finely ground pepper for the cracked peppercorns here.
Instructions
- Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt. Rub peppercorns evenly over 1 side of each steak and, using your fingers, press peppercorns into steaks to adhere.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place steaks, peppered side up, in skillet. Firmly press on steaks with bottom of cake pan and cook until well browned on first side, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Flip steaks and reduce heat to medium. Firmly press on steaks with bottom of cake pan and continue to cook until meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 1 to 4 minutes longer; transfer to plate and tent with aluminum foil. Pour off fat from skillet and remove any stray peppercorns.
- Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 2 tablespoons brandy, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in cream and any accumulated meat juices and simmer for 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in chives, lemon juice, mustard, and remaining 1 tablespoon brandy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve steaks with sauce.
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