Classic Steak au Poivre
Oct 25, 2025 02:18 AM
Behold this old-school bistro classic! Steak au Poivre is a classic French recipe of pan-seared steak smothered in a creamy pepper sauce – easily one of the best sauces you’ve ever tasted. If you’ve ever dined at a French bistro, you’ve probably seen this on the menu. It’s simple, yet luxurious, and easy to make at home!
Steak au poivre is a classic French dish that translates to “pepper steak”. Traditionally made with a tender cut like filet mignon, the steak is seared to perfection and finished with a rich pan sauce made with cognac, cream and crushed peppercorns.
The beauty of this dish lies in the sauce—it’s made right in the same pan used to cook the steaks, so you get all the savory browned bits and juices left behind. This makes the sauce irresistibly good.
With just two main steps—cooking the steaks and preparing the sauce—this recipe is surprisingly quick and approachable. One key tip: have all your ingredients measured and ready to go before you begin. Once the steaks are done, the sauce comes together in about 10 minutes. From there, you can plate the steaks and spoon that velvety, peppery sauce right over the top.
This recipe serves two but can be easily doubled to serve four.
Ingredients:
- 2 filet mignons/tenderloin or strip steaks (about 6-8 oz each, 1.5 inches thick)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the Sauce
- 1oz (30g) whole black peppercorns, roughly crushed
- 3 tbsp (45ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely minced
- 1 shallot, peeled and finely minced
- ¼ cup (60ml) cognac or brandy
- ¾ cup (180ml) beef stock (ideally, low sodium)
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
15 minutes
Total Time:
30 minutes
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