Steak au Poivre

When I first met Matt I wasn’t much of a pepper person. But with the copious amounts that he puts on his food, I was bound to be a fan. So a nice pepper crusted steak sounded like a good meal on these cold winter nights.

Steak au poivre, pepper steak in french, is usually accompanied by a pan sauce consisting of reduced cognac or brandy and heavy cream. But those are things I haven’t brought into my kitchen for years.  This is a great alternative because it’s a simpler pan sauce of red wine, broth, and onions- making this recipe a great and easy weeknight meal.

So if you’re looking for a elegant steak with little prep, this is a perfect recipe.

The steak we used was the chuck eye steak. It’s a bargain at less than $5 for two steaks. What a deal! Now the chuck is mostly used for roasting, but the chuck eye steak is similar to a rib eye steak. It’s not as neat as the rib eye, looking a little disheveled as seen above, but still really flavorful and pretty tender. They’re also great for grilling.

Steak au Poivre
Recipe from Hungry Cravings
Serves 2

2 1 to 1 1/4 inch thick rib-eye or strip steaks (I used chuck eye)
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black peppercorns
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced (or 1/4 cup onion)
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup beef broth
1 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced

1. Season the steaks generously with salt and set aside at room temperature for about half an hour.

2. Coat the steaks with the pepper, pressing it gently into the meat.

3. Heat a large, heavy sauté pan over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the steaks and cook without disturbing for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they release from the pan and are crusty and brown.

4. Using tongs, turn the steaks and continue to cook over high heat another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the desired doneness. Moisture will just begin to accumulate on the surface of the steaks when they are medium-rare. Remove the steaks to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

5. Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots or onions to the pan, and sauté for 30 seconds, or until translucent and fragrant.

6. Add the wine and simmer for a minute or so, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a heat-proof spatula.

7. Add the broth and thyme and simmer another 5 to 6 minutes, or until thickened and saucy.

8. Remove the pan from the heat, discard the thyme, and let cool for a minute or two. Whisk in the butter quickly, stir in any accumulated juices from the steaks, and season to taste with salt.

9. Arrange the steaks on individual plates, divide the sauce among them, and serve immediately.

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