Is there anything sexier than cooking a beautiful meal for your Valentine? Let's set the scene...lingering in the kitchen, enjoying the aromas, and nibbling on bites of cheese as you prepare succulent cuts of tender steak, coated in cracked peppercorns, pan-seared to perfection, and draped in a luscious cream sauce.
It's a tantalizing tale of a French classic...Steak au Poivre, The fiery aroma of peppercorns tickles the senses, enhancing the steak's natural flavor with a spicy kick. As you cook, the kitchen fills with an intoxicating fragrance, setting the mood for an unforgettable evening. Serve this sexy dish to your sweetie, and watch as each bite becomes a savory celebration of love, creating lasting memories around the dinner table.
Our Easy Steak Steak au Poivre recipe:
2 1½" thick New York strip steaks (about 1½ lb. total)
Kosher salt
4 Tbsp. whole black peppercorns
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, 2 smashed, 2 thinly sliced
3 sprigs thyme
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 large shallot, finely chopped
â…“ cup cognac, dry sherry, or brandy
½ cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 450º with cast iron skillet inside.
Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Season all over with kosher salt. Let sit 15–30 minutes.
Coarsely crush peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or place in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a small saucepan (they should be a lot coarser than ground pepper).
Place 3 Tbsp crushed peppercorn in flat dish and press steaks into the peppercorns to create a crust on all sides.
Once at temperature, remove skillet from oven (be careful as it will be extremely hot) and place on burner over medium-high heat. Add oil and cook steaks, undisturbed, until a deep golden brown crust forms underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn over and cook on second side until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Add smashed garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and 1/2 Tbsp butter to the top of each steak. Cook in the preheated oven for 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from oven and carefully flip. Add additional 1/2 Tbsp butter to the top of each steak. Cook another 2 minutes and remove from the oven. Transfer steaks to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. The Sauce...
Meanwhile, combine shallot, sliced garlic, remaining 1 Tbsp crushed peppercorns, and remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in skillet and cook, stirring often, until shallot and garlic are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add cognac to pan. Set over medium heat and cook until cognac is mostly evaporated and spoon leaves streaks in skillet while stirring, 1–2 minutes. Add cream, bring to a simmer, and cook until sauce coats spoon, about 1 minute. Season with kosher salt.
Slice steaks against the grain and transfer to a platter. Pour any juices from cutting board back into skillet and stir into sauce. Spoon sauce generously over steak; sprinkle with sea salt.Â
*Our super easy and fast sauce trick...a bottle of The Southern Conserve Vidalia Onion Peppercorn Dressing can take the place of everything except the cognac. Just add about 1/2 cup dressing to the pan with the cognac and let it cook down a bit just like you would the other ingredients. Bon Appétit!