The Steak Au Poivre.
Steak au poivre—or pepper steak, is a French classic that’s perfect for adding a touch of elegance to your dinner. This dish features a juicy steak coated in cracked peppercorns, giving it a deliciously spicy crust.
The beauty of steak au poivre is in its simplicity and the quality of its ingredients. All you need is a great cut of beef, some freshly cracked black pepper, and a rich pan sauce made with cognac and cream. It’s a dish that’s both fancy and comforting.
In this blog, I’ll show you how to make this iconic dish step-by-step, from picking the perfect steak to getting that perfect pepper crust. Whether you’re cooking for a special occasion or just treating yourself to a gourmet meal at home, steak au poivre is sure to impress.
Simplistically elegant.
Steak au poivre, or pepper steak, is a classic French dish that has delighted diners for centuries. Its origins can be traced back to the 19th century in the bistros of Normandy, where it was popular for its bold flavors and the pepper’s reputed aphrodisiac qualities. Traditionally, the dish features a filet mignon coated with coarsely cracked peppercorns, which form a crust when the steak is seared in a hot skillet.
The preparation of steak au poivre involves searing the pepper-crusted steak at high temperatures to create a flavorful crust while keeping the interior tender and juicy. It’s often served with a rich pan sauce made from cognac, heavy cream, and the fond from the skillet, sometimes enhanced with butter, shallots, or Dijon mustard2.
The dish’s popularity grew as French chefs simplified the recipe, replacing venison with beef and creating a creamy pepper sauce known as sauce poivrade. By the early 20th century, steak au poivre had become a staple in French cuisine, celebrated for its perfect balance of heat from the pepper and richness from the sauce. Today, it remains a beloved dish in French restaurants worldwide, cherished for its robust flavors and elegant simplicity.
The Montreal Texan Tips.
Gas barbeque or kettle grill.
Can you cook the perfect steak on a gas / propane barbeque? Absolutely. Will it taste as good as what we are about to make? Absolutely not. The reason is simple. We are going to pack in some smoke flavor in our cook by using wood lump charcoal and wood chunks as we slowly cook it indirectly. This will be enough to pack in flavor, get a smoke ring while keeping things juicy! Yes, you can smoke a steak without drying it out.
Dry brining for the best results.
Dry-Brining is a process where you salt your meat before you cook it and put it to the fridge to rest. The meat will start to sweat over time and at some point, will suck the wetness (along with the salt) back in and tenderize the meat, evenly spreading the taste of salt inside. It will also form a pellicle on the outside which helps with getting a nice crust. DO NOT use table salt for this process. Use coarse kosher salt and the salt to meat ratio should not exceed 1 teaspoon per pound of meat.
Doneness.
I don’t like to chance, especially not that this cut of meat is so expensive. Getting the exact doneness you and your guest expect is gratifying. Some people use the feeling of touch to check meat tenderness, some people will tell you to cook the steak a specific amount of time per side to achieve a certain doneness. I just use a probing thermometer and check those temps as often as I can throughout the cook.
Shopping list & nutritional values.
For the Steak.
4 beef tenderloins (6oz to 8 oz)
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
Fresh thyme
Fresh parsley
Coarse kosher salt and pepper
For the Sauce.
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cup Cognac or other brandy
3/4 cup heavy cream
Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 24 hours Serves: 4 people
What I used: Kettle Grill, Meat Probe & Sauce Pot
How to Make It.
Prep Time: 5 Mins | Cook Time: 30 Mins | Serves: 4 people
Dry brine the meat: This step makes all the difference in the result in taste and tenderness and should be done the evening prior to serving for the best results. You’ll need a cookie pan and a grill to sit the steaks on so that the air can flow all around the meat and allow for the process to take place.
Start your kettle grill fire: Once dry brined, your meat will come out vivid and deep red out of the fridge. Do not let it sit at room temperature; we need it to be cold. You’ll want to build a fire in your kettle. I recommend using wood charcoal and add 2 pieces of Oak wood chunks once lit. The fire should be built on one end of the kettle as much as possible. About 15 minutes in, your fire should be ready. Put the lid on and adjust the settings to smoke, we want the kettle no more than 300 degrees.
Indirect cooking and smoking the steaks: Place the meat on the opposite ends of the fire. Constantly monitor internal temperatures. Once they hit 110 degrees internal, we will reverse sear the steaks. This step can take as long as 40 minutes, depending on how cold your meat is, and how hot your kettle is.
Make the sauce: While the steaks are smoking, in a sauce pot, cook shallots in 2 tbsp of butter over low heat, stirring until browned, for 3-5 minutes. Add Cognac (it may ignite) and boil until reduced to a glaze, 2-3 minutes. Add cream and meat juices, boil until reduced by half, 3-5 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tbsp butter over low heat until incorporated. Add meat juices and stir.
Reverse sear the steaks: Once your steaks hit 100 degrees internal temp, take them off the grill and increase your temps to scolding hot, leaving the kettle top off. While you fire is building, add coarse black pepper, the oil the steaks. Once the fire and temps are good (500-600 degrees), drop your steaks directly over the fire and sear on each side while monitoring your internal temp.
Serve: Pull the steaks out 5 degrees internal temperature less than your ideal doneness as we will rest them 5 to 10 minutes. While we do this, the steak internal temp will continue to climb. Once ready to plate, put the tenderloin down and pour some sauce. You can serve with a side of fresh greens, or multiple sides including sauté garlic mushrooms, asparagus, mixed wild greens, or even The Ultimate Mash Potatoes.
Dig into this classic, simple and elegant meal and enjoy! 🗼🥩
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Bon Appétit y’all!
—Montréal Texan
