Steak au poivre, or pepper steak, is a French bistro favourite with a lot taste! Juicy filet mignon will get crusted with tongue-tingling cracked pepper and pan-fried, then served with a boozy, creamy pan sauce.
This straightforward skillet recipe makes use of the identical method as my fast steak with mushroom sauce and bourbon steak. C’est magnifique!


Steak au poivre (pronounced “steak oh pwah-vruh”), or pepper steak, is a basic French recipe for sautéed filet mignon crusted with cracked peppercorns. I like to consider it as an enormous, juicy chew of Paris on a plate! The steak is pan-fried earlier than we flip the leftover juices right into a silky poivre sauce with pepper, cognac, and cream. Simply add a facet of crispy fries or steamed veggies for a steak dinner such as you’ve by no means had earlier than!
I first made this steak recipe years in the past from a French cookbook, and whereas it was scrumptious, the one we had in Paris was completely the most effective! Few years in the past, Goce and I have been wandering the Parisian streets proper earlier than catching a soccer match to see Paris Saint-Germain play. We sat at this little bistro and the waiter really helpful the steak au poivre. As we devoured down every chew, with the wealthy au poivre sauce completely complementing the tender steak, we knew we needed to have this magic at house, on repeat.
Why You’ll Love This Steak au Poivre Recipe
- Peppercorn sauce. Filet mignon would possibly sound fancy pants, however the true standouts on this recipe are the pan sauce and peppercorns! Black pepper and booze brighten up the cream sauce with out overpowering the steak.
- One pan. I LOVE steak recipes like smothered steak that I could make in a single pan in below an hour. This pan-seared steak au poivre takes 45 minutes from begin to end, and the outcomes are completely bistro-worthy!
- Again-to-basics. Residence cooked steak au poivre is simple to organize utilizing fundamental cooking strategies that you just’ll carry into future recipes. Everybody ought to know pan-sear a very good steak, and realizing make a easy pan sauce is a game-changer.


Substances You’ll Want
“Au poivre” is a French time period for a dish ready with a very good quantity of cracked pepper. On this case, it’s steak with peppercorn sauce. Beneath are some fast notes on what you’ll have to make it. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable record with the quantities and recipe particulars.
- Peppercorns – The kind of peppercorns you utilize will affect the dish’s total taste (see under). The bottom line is to make use of coarsely crushed pepper, not finely floor.
- Olive Oil and Butter – Oil for sautéing the steak, and butter to baste the meat because it cooks. You should utilize salted or unsalted butter.
- Garlic – You’ll want complete garlic cloves when basting the steak, plus minced garlic for the au poivre sauce.
- Thyme – Contemporary thyme sprigs spherical out the flavors with out overpowering the pepper.
- Shallot – Or a small yellow onion, finely chopped.
- Cognac – If you happen to don’t have cognac, your subsequent finest guess is brandy.
- Heavy Cream – You’ll be able to substitute half-and-half, although the sauce received’t be fairly as wealthy and creamy.
- Parsley – Chopped contemporary parsley for garnish.




What Type of Pepper Is Finest for Steak au Poivre?
I exploit cracked black peppercorns, however you may also use white, inexperienced, pink, or Sichuan peppercorns for a extra tingly sensation. Or, use a mixture of totally different peppers to create a novel taste. I like to make use of a pestle and mortar to crack the peppercorns because it offers higher management over the grind.
Which Minimize of Steak Ought to I Use?
Conventional steak au poivre recipes use filet mignon, a part of the meat tenderloin. Nonetheless, this recipe seems nice with New York strip steaks, sirloin, or rib-eye, too. Simply needless to say the cooking instances will fluctuate, so have a meat thermometer available to verify the steaks for doneness.
The best way to Make Steak au Poivre
This steak dinner is a bit like my pan-seared steak with cognac sauce, and the tactic could be very comparable. Right here’s make this bistro-style steak au poivre in just a few straightforward steps:












- Prepare dinner the steak. First, pat dry the filet mignon and get the meat coated with salt and peppercorns on either side. Get the steaks searing in a big pan with oil.
- Baste. After 6 minutes, flip. Now, you’ll drop a few spoonfuls of butter within the pan, plus garlic cloves and thyme. Spoon the melted butter over the steaks whereas they end cooking. Afterward, relaxation the filets whilst you make the sauce.
- Make the sauce. Subsequent, in the identical pan, sauté shallot and garlic. Deglaze the pan with cognac, and eventually, decrease the warmth and stir within the cream. Simmer to thicken, after which serve the pan sauce over the meat together with a sprinkle of contemporary parsley.
Use the Proper Pan
The perfect pan for cooking steak is a heavy-bottomed cast-iron skillet or frying pan. Forged iron heats by means of evenly and is best to wash. If you happen to ask me, it’s well worth the funding! I exploit my cast-iron pan in so many recipes, from getting the proper sear on this filet au poivre to rib-eye steak and oven-grilled steak. (Did I point out it goes from stovetop to oven?!)


Recipe Ideas
- Room temperature steaks. Take the steak(s) out of the fridge a minimum of 20 minutes and as much as an hour earlier than you propose to prepare dinner them. This may assist the steaks prepare dinner evenly and make sure the pepper sticks completely to the meat.
- Use a meat thermometer. Prepare dinner the filet mignon to your required doneness (I like to recommend aiming for 120-125°F initially, permitting the carryover warmth to carry the steaks to an ideal medium-rare at 130-135°F). As soon as accomplished, place the steaks on a plate and tent them with foil.
- Dimension issues. For the most effective outcomes, get steaks which can be the identical measurement and thickness. This ensures they prepare dinner evenly. In case your steaks fluctuate in measurement, you’ll have to verify the temperature of every one and probably take away them from the oven at totally different instances.
Serving Strategies
Usually, steak au poivre is served with some type of potatoes, whether or not they’re mashed or changed into French fries. To maintain issues mild, I pair it with a facet of contemporary greens, like this Mediterranean salad or a easy arugula salad. This contemporary zucchini salad can be nice in the course of the zucchini season!
The peppery flavors of the steak additionally go nicely with roasted greens and lemon butter inexperienced beans. And to spherical out the meal, deal with your self to my black magic chocolate cake for dessert!

Storing and Reheating Leftovers
That is finest if served instantly. When you’ve got leftovers, place the steak and sauce in an hermetic container and hold them within the fridge for as much as 3 days or freeze for two to three months. Defrost within the fridge earlier than reheating.
To reheat, I choose to heat the steak in a coated skillet till it’s heated by means of. Watch out that you just don’t overcook the steak whereas reheating.
Extra Steak Recipes
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Season the meat. Pat the filet mignon dry and permit it to take a seat at room temperature for 20 minutes. Season the meat (on either side) with salt and press the peppercorns into either side of every filet.
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Sear. Warmth the olive oil in a big forged iron skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high warmth. Add the steak to the pan and sear for six minutes. Flip the filets.
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Baste. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan together with the garlic cloves and thyme. Proceed cooking the steak for five extra minutes or till a meat thermometer inserted into the biggest steak reads 125°F to 130˚F. All of the whereas, spoon the melted butter over the steaks periodically.
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Relaxation. Switch the filets to a serving platter and put aside.
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Saute the veggies. Scale back the warmth to low and add the remaining butter to the identical pan you cooked the steak in. As soon as the butter has melted, add the shallot. Saute till translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 15 seconds or till aromatic.
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Deglaze. Add the cognac to the pan and prepare dinner for 1-2 minutes, stirring sometimes.
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Make it creamy. Flip the warmth to low and stir within the heavy cream. Simmer till the sauce has thickened to your required consistency.
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Serve. Pour the sauce over the steaks, garnish with contemporary parsley, and serve.
- Crush the entire peppercorns utilizing a mortar and pestle.
- Don’t overcook the filet mignon; to forestall it from changing into dry, use a meat thermometer to verify for doneness. I recommend aiming for an inner temp of 120-125°F, letting the carryover warmth elevate the steaks to a medium-rare of 130-135°F whereas they relaxation.
Energy: 1061kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 34g | Fats: 91g | Saturated Fats: 46g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 4g | Monounsaturated Fats: 33g | Trans Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 258mg | Sodium: 2550mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2101IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 5mg
Dietary information is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values might fluctuate in accordance with the substances and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed information.