Steak Au Poivre Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°F.
• Pat steaks dry and season both sides with kosher salt.
• Coarsely crush peppercorns in a sealed plastic bag with a meat pounder or bottom of a heavy skillet, then press pepper evenly onto both sides of steaks.
• Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over moderately high heat until hot, about 3 minutes, then add oil, swirling skillet, and sauté steaks in 2 batches, turning over once, about 6 minutes per batch for medium-rare.
• Transfer steaks as cooked to a heatproof platter and keep warm in oven while making sauce.
• Pour off fat from skillet, then add shallots and half of butter (2 tablespoons) to skillet and cook over moderately low heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until shallots are well-browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add Cognac (use caution; it may ignite) and boil, stirring, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream and any meat juices accumulated on platter and boil sauce, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cook over low heat, swirling skillet, until butter is incorporated. Serve sauce with steaks.

Steps:

• If you have the time, prepare your steaks several hours ahead. Start by crushing the peppercorns very coarsely. Take a shallow dish, large enough to hold the two steaks, without them touching. Pour in one tablespoon olive oil, mixed with half of the crushed garlic. Coat each steak evenly on both sides with the peppercorns, and pressing them in firmly (use a heavy plate to do this). Lay the steaks in the dish and spoon over the other tablespoon of oil and the rest of the garlic. Cover and leave them in the fridge for several hours, turning once.
• When you're ready to cook the steaks, you will need a cast iron skillet (or heavy based frying pan). Place it over very high heat and let it preheat until it is very hot - the more daring you can be, the better the finished dish! Now, quickly drop each steak directly into the pan. Sear them quickly on each side - about 1 minute per side.
• (Do not be tempted to move the steaks other than to flip them as directed. Furthermore, flip your steaks with tongs rather than a fork, which will pierce them and allow juices to escape. ).
• Once seared, lower the heat and cook them. I like them "blue" which means they are seared and very rare. For medium rare give them 3 more minutes and for well done, 4 more minutes. You won't need to turn them.
• Either way 1 minute before the end of the cooking time, pour in the wine and let it bubble and reduce down to a syrupy consistency, about 1/3 of its original volume.
• This whole process is very brief, and I actually don't even bother setting a timer, I just count the minutes in my head. Once done, sprinkle with salt and serve as quickly as possible. This is best with a mixed green salad and a basic vinegaret dressing.

Steps:

• Put peppercorns in a small resalable plastic bag and hit with a rolling pin until coarsely crushed. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season well salt. Dip 1 side of each steak into the peppercorns and press to help adhere.
• Heat the butter and oil in a 10-inch heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-heat until just smoking.
• Add the steaks, peppercorn side up to the hot pan and cook, undisturbed, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook, pressing the steaks down in the pan so that the peppercorns adhere, about 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Remove to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest at least 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile discard all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings, return the pan to the stove over medium heat, add the shallots and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the beef broth and brandy. Scrape the bottom of the pan to incorporate any browned bits and cook until slightly thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the cream and any accumulated meat juices and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season, to taste, with salt. Transfer the steaks to serving plates and drizzle with the sauce.

Steps:

• The night before serving, slice the potatoes 1/4-inch thick and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Refrigerate up to 24 hours, changing the water a few times. (This makes the potatoes extra crispy when fried.)
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the red onion, white onion, shallots, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, 30 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, brandy and Worcestershire sauce and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar; transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Combine 3 teaspoons crushed peppercorns with 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the steak and toss to coat, pressing the peppercorns into the meat. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until it just starts browning. Add the steak; cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, drain the potatoes and pat dry. Transfer to a large pot; cover with 2 inches of vegetable oil. Cook over medium-high heat, gently stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet; season with salt. (The potatoes can be fried up to 2 hours ahead; reheat in a 300 degrees F oven for 5 minutes before assembling.)
• Thinly slice the steak. Spread some of the onion mixture on each potato; top with a slice of steak and a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon crushed peppercorns.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using the bottom of a small skillet smash peppercorns. Press crushed peppercorns into steak until completely covered. Let sit for 30 minutes. Melt butter in a cast iron pan over medium heat. Season steak with salt and place in pan. Cook until dark brown on one side, flip, and cook on other side, approximately 3 minutes per side. Place steak in baking dish and finish in oven to desired degree of doneness, about 3 minutes. Melt butter in skillet and add shallots. Add a splash of cognac, cream and 1 teaspoon crushed peppercorns. Bring to boil and reduce sauce. Serve steak topped with sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Season both sides of steak with salt. Brush with Dijon mustard, reserving extra for sauce. In a pie tin place peppercorns and press steaks in to coat each side with about a 1/4 cup; if you have time, set aside. In a saute pan heat 1 tablespoon oil to smoking. Cook steaks for 3 minutes on first side, turn and cook 3 more minutes. Transfer steaks to pie tin and roast in oven 4 minutes for rare, 8 for medium-rare, and so on. Meanwhile, wipe excess fat and loose pepper from saute pan. Reheat pan with 1 teaspoon oil, add shallots, toss and cook for 1 minute. Carefully add brandy to pan. Note: IT WILL IGNITE. Allow brandy to burn off and add garlic, remaining mustard and veal stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in heavy cream and continue to reduce for 2 minutes. Stir in butter and adjust seasonings.
• Remove steaks to serving plates, spoon sauce over and garnish with parsley. We like to serve this with crispy fried shoestring potatoes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels and sprinkle all sides with a generous amount of salt and pepper - you should see the seasoning on the meat. Place a large skillet or roasting pan over medium-high flame, drizzle with the oil, and just when it begins to smoke lay the tenderloin in the hot pan. Brown on all sides until a crust forms and the meat is well-seared, about 7 minutes total. Toss the fresh thyme and rosemary on top of the tenderloin and transfer the whole thing to the oven; roast for 20 to 25 minutes for medium-rare.
• Remove the tenderloin to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Pour off the excess fat from the pan and put it back on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the shallots to the pan drippings, saute, stirring with a spoon to scrape up the flavors in the bottom. Take the pan off the heat and pour in the cognac (premeasure - never pour directly from the bottle!) Put the pan back on the heat and tilt it slightly over the burner to ignite the alcohol, or light with a kitchen lighter. The cognac will flame for a few seconds then go out as the alcohol burns off. Stir in the demi-glace and cream, simmer for about 1 minute to thicken the sauce so it coats a spoon. Finish the sauce by stirring in the mustard and peppercorns until incorporated. Taste and season with salt, if necessary.
• To serve: pile the watercress on a serving platter, cut the tenderloin into 1/2-inch thick slices and arrange it on top of the greens. Drizzle the sauce over the beef and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve the steak au poivre with pommes frites.

Steps:

• Season both sides of each steak with the salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat, and then sauté the steaks, 2 at a time, for 3-4 minutes on each side.
• Transfer the steaks to a heatproof dish and keep them warm in a 175-degree oven.
• Pour any leftover liquid from the skillet and lower the heat to medium.
• Add the shallots and 1 piece of butter; sauté for 5 minutes, until cooked.
• Carefully add Cognac (it may flame) and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens.
• Stir in cream and other piece of butter; heat through, stirring constantly.
• Serve over steaks immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200º.
• Pat steaks dry and season both sides with kosher salt.
• Coarsely crush peppercorns in a sealed plastic bag with a meat pounder or bottom of a heavy skillet, then press pepper evenly onto both sides of steaks.
• Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium high heat until hot, about 3 min, then add oil. Swirl skillet to lightly coat the entire skillet.
• Saute steaks in batches (2 at a time). DO NOT TOUCH - this lets them brown nicely and makes all the difference. Cook for 6 min and flip and cook for another 6 minute for medium rare steaks. Repeat with remaining 2 steaks.
• Transfer cooked steaks to a heatprook platter and keep warm in the oven.
• After all 4 steaks are cooked pour off fat from skillet if any, then add shallots and half of the butter. Cook over medium low heat, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of the pan until the shallots are well browned all over, 3-5 minute.
• Remove skillet from heat and add Cognac. (If you add while on the burner it may ignite.) Boil, stirring until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 2-3 minute.
• Add cream and any meat juices that have accumulated on the platter in the oven. Boil sauce, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 3-5 minute
• Add the other half of the butter and cook over low heat swirling the skillet to melt and incorporate the butter.
• Serve sauce with steaks.

Steps:

• Make the Basic Brown Sauce recipe (half) and keep it warm.
• Let the steaks rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450ºF/230ºC.
• Gently pat the steaks dry and season generously with ground sea salt. Spread crushed peppercorns on all sides including the edges pressing down to adhere; set aside.
• Heat up a cast iron pan on medium- high. When hot, add oil. Place meat and cook, undisturbed, for 2 to 2 ½ minutes (Maillard reaction).
• Flip and cook the other side for 2 ½ minutes (medium-rare).
• Add butter and garlic cloves. Tilt the pan to baste the meat, spooning on the butter a few times.
• Transfer to the preheated oven and cook until desired doneness (refer to Filet Mignon • How to Cook Perfectly).
• Remove the cast iron pan from the heat, pour in Cognac and ignite it.
• When the flames go out, transfer the steaks onto a plate, cover loosely with foil and let them rest for 10 minutes.
• In the same cast iron pan over medium-high heat with the two garlic cloves left in, add mushrooms and sauté until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Season them with salt and pepper, stir well before transferring to a bowl and set aside. Discard the two garlic cloves.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low to allow the cast iron pan to cool off a bit.
• Add warm basic brown sauce and heavy cream. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes; taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
• Before serving, add any accumulated juices to the sauce, stir well and spoon the sauce over the steaks and top with the sautéed mushrooms up. Serve with mashed potatoes and broccolini.

Steps:

• Crack the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle, or grind very coarsely.
• Rub the top and bottom of each steak with the pepper and salt.
• Using a very heavy pan, melt the butter and then sear both sides of the steak.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and cook between 2 and 5 minutes on each side (2 minutes per side gives rare steak, 5 minutes per side gives well-done steak - we preferred about 3.5 minutes per side).
• Remove steaks from heat and allow to rest. Meanwhile, add wine to the pan, scrape up any drippings, and cook until liquid is reduced by half. This should take about 10 minutes.
• Pour sauce over steaks after they are served.