steak au poivre
A simple but delicious way of enjoying steak.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 1 onion roughly diced
- 50 g clarified butter plus extra for frying
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 50 ml port or cognac, if preferred
- 50 ml Worcestershire sauce
- 300 ml double cream
- 1 beef or chicken stock cube dissolved in 200ml water
- 1 tsp cracked white peppercorns
For the Steak:
- 2 rump steaks or fillet, if preferred
- 3 tbsp black pepper coarsely ground
- 2 tbsp cornflour
Instructions
- Melt the clarified butter in a pan over low heat.
- Add the diced onion and gently sweat until soft, stirring frequently. Avoid browning.
- Season with the freshly ground black pepper and continue cooking until the onions are very tender and water content is reduced.
- Turn up the heat, add the port (or cognac), and deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom. Allow the alcohol to bubble and reduce to a syrup.
- Stir in Worcestershire sauce and reduce further for concentrated flavour.
- Lower the heat, add the double cream, and simmer gently until the sauce thickens to coat the back of a spoon.
- Gradually add the concentrated stock, a little at a time, to balance the sauce’s flavour and consistency.
- Stir in the cracked white peppercorns for a final kick. Cover and set aside.
- Mix the cornflour and coarsely ground black pepper on a plate. Press the steaks into the mixture, coating evenly on both sides to form a crust.
- Heat a pan with clarified butter over medium heat. When hot, add the steaks and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, depending on thickness and preferred doneness (aim for 52–54°C internal temperature for medium-rare).
- Once the steaks are cooked, move them to one side of the pan and strain the sauce directly into the same pan using a sieve.
- Stir the sauce gently to reheat. Check for seasoning.
Video
Notes
Serve with chips and greens.