With a grass-fed and finished steak, you don’t need much to make it shine. The rich flavour comes through in every bite. If you need a refresher, read our article on How to Cook the Perfect Steak. On the nights you want to dress your steak up a little, peppercorn sauce is one of those finishing touches worth knowing how to make. It’s a simple combination of butter, shallots, brandy, beef stock, and cream, with just the right amount of cracked black peppercorns. Best of all, it comes together right in the pan you just used to sear your steak.
Our recipe, a straightforward take on the French classic, makes enough for 4 steaks and takes about 10 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter.
- 1 medium shallot (or 2 small), finely chopped.
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) whole black peppercorns, coarsely cracked (use 1 to 1.5 tbsp for a milder sauce).
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) brandy or cognac.
- 180 ml (¾ cup) beef stock.
- 180 ml (¾ cup) heavy cream (35%).
- Sea salt, to taste.
Method
Once your steaks are off the heat and resting on a cutting board, return the pan to medium heat. If there’s a lot of fat pooled in the pan, drain off most of it, leaving about a tablespoon — but keep all those browned bits stuck to the bottom. That’s where a lot of the flavour comes from.
Add the butter and chopped shallot. Cook for about a minute, stirring, until the shallot softens and turns translucent.
Stir in the cracked peppercorns and let them toast for 30 seconds. You’ll smell the pepper come alive.
Pour in the brandy, standing back in case your pan flames a little (this is normal). Let it bubble down for a minute or two until almost evaporated, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan.Add the beef stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half, around 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the cream and let the sauce gently simmer until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, another 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add a pinch of sea salt if needed.
Spoon generously over rested steaks and serve.
A Few Tips
If your pepper mill won't grind coarsely enough, a mortar and pestle works, or you can crack the peppercorns by running a rolling pin over them. For this recipe, you want texture, not powder.
If you’d prefer to skip the alcohol, swap the brandy for an equal amount of beef stock and stir in 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of Worcestershire sauce with the cream for depth.
Finally, take your time with it. A pan sauce rewards a little patience, and there's something satisfying about watching the ingredients come together into something that earns its place on the plate.
