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How to Cook · Sauces

Sauce au Poivre

Makes about 1 cup, serves 2–4Prep 5 minCook 15 minTotal 20 minSauces
A creamy black-pepper sauce au poivre

A creamy, punchy black-pepper pan sauce for steak or pork chops, built right in the pan the meat seared in. Coarsely cracked peppercorns are bloomed with shallot, flamed with brandy, then simmered with beef stock and cream into a rich sauce with a warm, spicy bite — the classic French steakhouse finish.

Makes about 1 cup, serves 2–4

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Ingredients

Sauces

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Concentrating Flavor

Method

Deglaze the pan

In the same pan used to sear your steak or chop (see Part 5), melt the butter over medium heat, add the shallot and cracked pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the brandy, then return to the heat and let it simmer briefly to cook off the alcohol, scraping up any browned bits. Add the beef stock and simmer until reduced by about half, 3–4 minutes.

Finish with cream

Stir in the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 2–3 minutes, then season with salt. Spoon over the meat to serve.

Pairs with: Pan-Seared Steak; Pan-Seared Pork Chop

Part of Sauces in the How to Cook series.