[2] You can purchase cracked peppercorns, but crushing them fresh is the way to go. You don’t need a mortar and pestle. Place the peppercorns in a plastic snack bag and roll over them with a rolling pin or wine bottle (photo © MVOVZQCV Brand | Amazon).

[3] With steak au poivre always looks more attractive when the sauce is plated underneath the beef (photo © Butcher Box).

[4] You can use any steak in the recipe—here, it’s strip steak. But you need a cast-iron skillet or other oven-safe pan (AI-generated photo).

[5] Have fun with tri-color or this four-color peppercorn mix. A four-color mix will have less heat, since the green, pink, and white peppercorns have much less piperine than the black ones. (photo © Savory Spice Shop).

[6] These shallots are minced, but not finely enough to meet a French chef’s standards. If you have the patience, make the mince as tiny as you can (photo A.I. generated).

[7] If you’d like a lighter cream sauce, use a percentage of stock instead of a lighter cream (photo © Organic Valley).

[8] The Cognac for the sauce also makes a delectable after-dinner drink (photo A.I. generated).

[9] Why you should consider Zinfandel with steak au poivre is detailed above (photo © Ridge Vineyards).

For those who love tender beef with a bit of heat and a creamy Cognac sauce, this dish is a must-try.

(A quick note: steak au poivre (pronounced oh-PWAV), the classic French dish made with peppercorns, is in no way related to pepper steak, the Chinese-American stir-fry dish made from thin slices of marinated beef and bell peppers.)

> The recipe for steak au poivre follows the history of the dish.

> The year’s 25+ beef holidays are below.

> Also below, wine pairings with steak au poivre.

> The different types of peppercorns: a photo glossary.

> The different cuts of beef: a photo glossary.

> The origin of black, green, and white pepper (Piper nigrum).
 
 
THE HISTORY OF STEAK AU POIVRE

Steak au poivre is a classic French bistro and brasserie* dish, dating back to the 19th century when Paris exploded with cafés and casual restaurants serving hearty, affordable meals to the middle class.

By that time, peppercorns were affordable to most households†.

The term au poivre simply means “with pepper,” either by encrusting the meat with crushed peppercorns or later, with a peppercorns sauce, which can be made with or without cream.

The earliest versions were more like pepper-encrusted steaks served with a pan jus deglazed with Cognac or brandy. The cream-based sauce became popular in the early 20th century, as the dish entered French haute cuisine with its love of butter and cream sauces.

By the early 1900s, steak au poivre was a fixture on bistro and brasserie menus, often paired with pommes frites (French fries).

The Cognac and Normandy regions of France introduced their respective spirits via flambé and in creamy sauces.

In the mid-20th century, French chefs coming to the U.S. post World War II made French cuisine more accessible to Americans. Julia Child brought attention to the dish in the 1960s, and it was a fine dining staple through the 1970s when French cooking was considered the height of culinary sophistication.

Modern variations appeared in the 1970s and 1980s, including the milder, herbaceous green peppercorn sauce (au poivre vert) and a return to cream-free sauces, closer to the original, using pan juices, shallots, Cognac/brandy, and stock.

Today you’ll find the dish on steakhouse menus worldwide, sometimes with Bourbon instead of Cognac, or with different peppercorn blends (black, green, pink, and white mix, or Sichuan peppercorns).
 
 
RECIPE: STEAK AU POIVRE

In this recipe, pepper-crusted filet mignon is pan-seared and served with rich, velvety Cognac cream sauce (use brandy if that’s what you have (see the difference in the ‡footnote).

You can substitute a large boneless rib-eye or strip steak, 1½-inch thick, about 1¼ pounds.

If you want a lighter sauce, substitute some of the cream with stock.

The most bistro-authentic side dishes are pommes frites and haricots verts, with a simple salad to start (Dijon vinaigrette).

For a more elegant dinner, go with gratin dauphinois and asparagus or leeks**. For a modern take, we like truffled mashed potatoes and wilted spinach with garlic.

Thanks to Butcher Box, an online purveyor of fine meats and seafoods, for this recipe.

Prep time is 10 minutes and cook time is 15 minutes.
 
Ingredients For 2 Servings

For the Steak

 
For the Sauce

 
Preparation

Remove the filets mignon from the fridge and let them sit for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 325°F. Then:

1. SEASON both sides of the filets with cracked black pepper, pressing it into the meat to create a good crust.

There are three ways to crack the pepper:

 
2. FINELY CHOP the shallots, measure out the Cognac and the heavy cream.

3. HEAT the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the filets mignon and sear each side for about 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness. Use tongs to turn the steaks and sear evenly.

4. TRANSFER the filets from the skillet to a sheet pan and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes or until 130°F internal temperature for medium rare. While filets bake, assemble pan sauce.

5. ADD the butter and shallots to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the Cognac and let it reduce by half.

6. LOWER the heat and add the heavy cream, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly cracked pepper.

6. DRIZZLE the sauce on a dinner plate and sprinkle the optional green or pink peppercorns on the sauce (photo #1). Or, scatter them on the plate as a garnish.

7. SERVE immediately.
 
 
ZINFANDEL & OTHER WINE PAIRINGS FOR STEAK AU POIVRE

Zinfandel (photo #9) is a classic pairing with steak au poivre. Its spice mirrors the pepper, its ripe fruit balances the heat and cream, and its medium tannins and rich body complement the beef without overpowering it.

 
Other Wine Choices

 
 
THE YEAR’S 25+ BEEF HOLIDAYS

 
Plus

A brasserie is a big, bustling venue with brewery roots (the French word for brewery is brasserie). In the 19th century, brasseries were places where beer was brewed and served with food. The menus are more extensive than at bistros, and they often serve food all day (e.g. choucroute garnie, onion soup, oysters, seafood platters, steak tartare). While originally beer was the main drink, brasseries today also have extensive wine and spirits lists. Classic brasseries often feature high ceilings, mirrored walls, Art Nouveau décor, and uniformed waiters (white aprons, long ties).

**Leeks can be prepared braised in butter and stock; dressed with warm with Dijon vinaigrette, parsley, chives, and a touch of shallot; or caramelized. The popular leeks à la crème, in heavy cream, doesn’t work with the cream sauce on the steak.

†Peppercorns, imported from India (as well as other spices from the Spice Islands of Southeast Asia), were expensive luxury goods through the Middle Ages, often costing more than two days of wages for a pound of pepper. Peppercorns were even used as currency! Prices began to decline in the late 15th and 16th centuries, as global spice trade expanded. By the 18th–19th centuries, pepper had become affordable and commonplace across middle-class European households.

††In the U.K., “National Burger Day” is a different event held on the Thursday before the late-August bank holiday (dates vary each year).

‡The difference between Cognac and brandy: All Cognac is grape brandy, a distillate of wine. However, Cognac is a brandy produced specifically in the region surrounding the town of Cognac, in central France. It is double distilled using pot stills and then aged for at least two years. It must be made from a specific group of white grape varieties, as well. Grape brandy can be made anywhere, from any grapes. Brandy can also be made from fruit and pomace, the solid residue of fruit left over—skins, seeds, and pulp—after juice (or oil, in the case of olives) has been pressed or extracted. Brandy does not require double distillation or long aging.

‡‡Piperine, the bioactive compound in black pepper is responsible for its characteristic pungent flavor. Green peppercorns, which are unripe, and white peppercorns, which have had the black skin removed, contain much less piperine.

Pink peppercorns are not true pepper from the Piper nigrum vine; they are the berries of Peruvian or Brazilian pepper trees Schinus molle or Schinus terebinthifolia. They do not contain piperine; their spiciness comes from other compounds (terpenes and phenolics, which are chemically distinct from piperine.
 
 

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