In addition to observing a few steak-cooking principals, this French classic recipe depends on two keys for making outstanding steak au poivre:
- Good Quality Steak
- Properly Cracked Pepper
The Meat: The recipe calls for filet mignon, but many prefer a nicely marbeled New York or sirloin strip. It is important to let the meat come to room temperature before cooking.
Cracking Pepper: The classic method calls for cracking rather than grinding the peppercorns. This may be arguable if your pepper grinder adjusts out to a very coarse grind. The methode classique is to press the peppercorns, on at a time, on a cutting board with the flat side of a meat cleaver (or the bottom of a pan).
Steak au Poivre
Yield: 2 servings
For the Sauce:
- ½ cup butter
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and stir the Worcestershire and lemon juice. Keep warm while you cook the steak.
For the Steak
- 2 @ 1”-thick filet mignon (or boneless New York or sirloin strip), at room temperature, trimmed of excess fat
- 1-2 Tbsp. peppercorns, cracked (see above)
- 4 tsp salt
- Press the cracked pepper into both sides of the steaks with the flat side of a meat cleaver (or the heel of your hand).
- In a heavy pan over high heat, sear the steak on one side until it begins to brown.
- Using tongs (or a spatula but never a fork), turn the steaks once, reduce the heat to medium and cook to the desired degree of rareness. See “When is a Steak Done?” below.
- Let the steak rest 10-15 minutes before serving. This is important for retaining the juices. Contrary to what one might think, the internal temperature actual of the steak actually rises 5-10 degrees during this period. This is the time for finishing touches on the rest of your meal and for warming the Cognac for the flaming presentation at the table.
- 4 ounces Cognac (or other good Brandy)
- Wipe out any excess fat from the steak pan. Add the Cognac over low heat, warm, but do not let it boil.
- Carefully ignite the warmed Cognac and pour over the steaks. When the flame dies down, pour the lemon-butter sauce over.
- Serve the steaks with the sauce poured over or in a small gravy boat on the side.
One of the most important tricks a beginning cook must learn is how to tell when the food is cooked. For steaks this is complicated because you are trying to retain as much moisture in the steak. That's why searing is the preferred cooking method. It seals in those precious juices. That's why tongs are used instead of forks. That's why the cook shouldn't move the steak around while it's cooking. That's why we let it rest after cooking. With that said, here are three common ways to see if the steak is done.
1. Cut into it:
You can cut into the thickest part, pry it apart a bit and see if the center is the color you like it. Everyone has their own preference. The problem is that cutting allows those juices to drain out.
2. Use an Instant-Read Thermometer:
These are great for accurately telling the internal temperature of whatever you're cooking. Again, you're letting precious juices leak out, but until you can master the touch method, beginning cooks would be well-advised to use the thermometer. What you're looking for when you take it out of the pan is:
- 120 degrees for rare
- 125 degrees for medium-rare
- 130 degrees for medium
- more if you don't care how tough and tasteless your expensive cut of beef gets.
3. Use the Touch Method:
This is the trickiest to master, but the only real way to preserve all of the flavor and precious juices. Briefly press your finger into the surface of the meat and feel how firm it is. The firmer the meat, the more it has been cooked.
Here's a good tip from Mahalo: Compare the toughness of the meat to the fleshy part on the palm of your hand between the thumb and index finger. By touching your thumb to the tips of each of your fingers, you can achieve comparative toughness on your palm:
- Thumb and index finger: Rare
- Thumb and middle finger: Medium Rare
- Thumb and ring finger: Medium
- Thumb and pinky finger: Well Done
Hungry for More? Explore the simpler tastes of the regional cuisines beyond Paris :
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