Easy Steak Au Poivre Recipe

A seared steak topped with creamy peppercorn sauce sits in a skillet, with extra sauce displayed in the background.

5 from 2 votes

Master this easy steak au poivre recipe in under 30 minutes! Silky Cognac cream sauce over a peppercorn-crusted steak makes a restaurant-worthy French bistro meal at home.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Bringing Beef to Room Temp30

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Servings: servings

Author: Jenny DeRemer

Cost: price dependent on cut of beef

Equipment

Kitchen tongs
click lighter or long stick matches
wire whisk

Ingredients

4 8-ounce beef filet mignon steaks no thicker than 1 1/2 inches
Kosher salt to taste
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
7 tablespoons Cognac
1 cup heavy whipping cream warmed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme divided

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

At least 30 minutes (and up to 1 hour) before you plan to cook, remove the fillet mignon steaks from the refrigerator. Sprinkle all sides liberally with Kosher salt. Allow the beef to rest undisturbed on the counter.
Set a non-stick saucepan on the stove top over very low heat and warm the heavy whipping cream slowly. It needn't be hot, simply warmed.
Use a spice grinder, mortar and pestle, or plastic baggie and a meat mallet to coarsely crush the peppercorns.
When you are ready to begin cooking, pour the crushed peppercorns in a pie plate. Take each steak and press it into the peppercorns being sure to coat all sides.
Place a large cast iron skillet atop the stove and add the unsalted butter followed by the olive oil. Heat until they're melted, golden brown, and almost at the smoking point. Add the filets and allow the steaks to sear undisturbed for 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Up the time by 1 minute per side for medium.
Remove the steaks to a plate and wrap with foil to keep them hot and allow the juices to redistribute, 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the cast iron pan from the heat. Blot the fat from the pan using a paper towel but leave the browned bits and the abandoned peppercorns. Hold the pan away from your overhead cabinets or other flammable surfaces. Add the Cognac all at once. Tilt the pan slightly. Light a long match (or click lighter) and wave it just above the surface of the Cognac. The vapors in the alcohol will ignite. Hold the pan as you swirl and swish the liquid. The flames will extinguish once the alcohol has burned off.
Replace the cast iron to the heat and turn the heat to high. Pour off any of the juices from the steaks into the Cognac. Add the warmed heavy cream and half the thyme leaves and whisk as the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and thicken the mixture, about 5 or 6 minutes.
Add an additional tablespoon of Cognac to the now thickened sauce, whisk to combine, and off the heat. Add the steaks back to the pan and spoon the sauce over top. Add the remaining thyme leaves. Serve immediately.

Notes

Let the meat warm up to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This will help the meat cook more evenly and turn out tender.
Let the meat sit tented with foil after cooking for at least 5-10 minutes. This gives the juices inside time to redistribute.
Use caution when igniting alcohol. But also, stay cool because the flame burns out very quickly. Always remove the pan from the heat source before adding the alcohol. Once the alcohol is in the pan, give a slight tilt to pool the liquid on one side, and pass either a click lighter or a long match just above the liquid. The vapors/alcohol will catch and just by swishing and swirling, those flames will be out in a matter of a minute. What's left is liquid gold, folks!

Nutrition