Steak with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 300g / 10oz New York Strip Porterhouse steaks (or other of choice, Note 1)
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbs vegetable oil
SAUCE:
- 1/3 cup 85ml brandy or cognac (or marsala) (Note 2)
- 3/4 cup 185ml beef broth stock , low sodium (important! Note 3)
- 1/2 cup 125ml cream heavy/thickened
- 2 to 3 tsp black peppercorns whole, coarsely crushed (or canned green peppercorns, drained) (Note 4)
Instructions
- Take the steaks out of the fridge 20 minutes before planning to cook.
- Crush the pepper using a rolling pin, mortar, and pestle, or the side of a hardy knife.
STEAKS:
- Just before cooking, sprinkle both sides of steak generously with salt and black pepper.
- Heat oil in a skillet over high heat until smoking.
- Add steaks and cook the first side for 2 minutes until it has a great crust, then flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes (for medium-rare).
- Stack the steaks on top of each other, then use tongs to sear the fat strip.
- Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil to rest while you make the sauce.
SAUCE:
- Add brandy or cognac into the same skillet and let it simmer rapidly, scraping the bottom of the pan until it has mostly reduced and you can no longer smell the harsh alcohol smell (~1 min).
- Add broth, bring to simmer, and let it simmer rapidly for 2 to 3 minutes or until it reduces by half.
- Turn heat down to medium. Add cream and pepper, stir, then simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until it thickens (do not let it boil rapidly).
- Taste sauce, adjust salt (and pepper!) to taste.
- Transfer steaks to warmed serving plates. Spoon over sauce. Serve immediately! Pictured with Crispy Smashed Potatoes and Garlic Spinach. (Note 6)
Notes
One of the best steak sauces in this world! It's super simple because it's made using the steak drippings and either brandy or cognac. The alcoholic taste is cooked out and you're left with an amazing sweet/savory/creamy sauce with great depth of flavor and beautiful pops of heat from the peppercorns. Use crushed black peppercorns for spicier or canned green peppercorns for more mild heat.
1. Use a decent quality steak for this recipe. If using a very economical steak, I'd recommend my steak marinade instead of this recipe - it will tenderize and infuse with great flavor!
2. If you can't use alcohol, use the recipe in Note 5 and instead of using brandy in step 1, add 1/4 cup of non-alcoholic red wine or water.
3. Do not make this sauce with full salt beef broth. The sauce will end up too salty because it's reduced down. If you only have full salt beef stock, then follow the recipe in Note 5 (in the same skillet) and use only 1/3 cup of beef broth and add 1/3 cup of water in place of the beef broth int he recipe. The extra flavor steps will compensate for the use of less broth.
4. Black peppercorns are spicier which I like for this recipe. Little pops of heat tempered by the sweetness and creaminess of the sauce. Canned green peppercorns are not as spicy and have a milder flavor.
5. Peppercorn Sauce without pan drippings - If you make the steaks on the BBQ and still want this sauce, make the recipe as follows: Melt 1.5 tbsp / 25g butter in a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp very finely chopped shallots/shallots (the small purple onions) and sauté gently for 1 minute. Then add brandy or cognac per recipe, increase heat to high. Proceed with recipe.
6. Garlic Spinach or Silverbeet: Heat olive oil in a skillet, add garlic, cook for 20 seconds, add spinach and stir until just starting to wilt. Remove, set aside, proceed with steak.
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