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–+ servings

Steak au Poivre

Recipe for filet mignon with French pepper sauce
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, French
Servings 2
Calories 867 kcal

Equipment

  • food probe thermometer
  • grill

Ingredients
  

Au Poivre
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 ½ tablespoons black pepper, coarse ground
  • ¼ cup shallots, minced (can substitute minced onion)
  • ¼ cup cognac
  • 1 cup beef or chicken broth
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
Steaks
  • (2) 8-ounce filet migon steaks
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions
 

Au Poivre
  • Melt butter in a large skillet. Add the pepper and shallots and cook on medium heat to wilt the shallots.
  • Slowly pour the Cognac into the side of the skillet. Stir. Be careful because Cognac will flame if the pan is too hot. Have a lid nearby in case you need to smother a flame.
  • Cook the cognac until it reduces and most of it evaporates.
  • Add the broth. Stir. Simmer until it reduces into a thick liquid. Using a wooden spoon, scrape it across the bottom of the pan while the sauce simmers. If the wooden spoon makes a scraped path that stays open across the pan for a couple of seconds, the sauce is ready for the cream. If the broth immediately runs back over the scrape, simmer it longer. Perform the scrape test periodically until the sauce has thickened, and you can scrape a distinctive path across the pan.
  • Add the cream and stir. Simmer until the cream has thickened and has a brown appearance. Use the same scrape test to pull a path through the cream to determine if it is ready. If the sauce should get too thick, add a little more cream. The sauce can be made before the steaks. Cover it and then reheat it with a little more cream just before serving.
Steaks
  • Set the steaks out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. This will take about 20-30 minutes. Generously salt and pepper on both sides of the steaks.
  • For outdoor charcoal-grilled steaks, set the grill temp to 400 degrees. (See the notes below for stovetop grilling.)
  • Cook each steak for about 6 minutes on each side. Then check the internal temperature with a thermometer probe.
    Rare--115°F. (4° C)
    Medium-rare--125°F. (52°C)
    Medium--135°F. (57°C)
    Medium well--145°F. (63°C)
    Well done--160°F (71°C)
    If the steaks need more time to reach the correct internal temperature, move them to the outer edge of the grill to finish cooking. Recheck their internal temperature every 1-2 minutes to prevent overcooking. The steaks will continue to cook after you remove them from the grill. The temperatures listed above take into account the continued cooking.
  • Remove the steaks at the correct temperature for the doneness you desire. Place them on a platter and cover them. Let them rest for 5 minutes. Place them on dinner plates and spoon au Poivre over them. Serve immediately.

Notes

Pan Cooking Steaks

  • Set the steaks out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. This will take about 20-30 minutes. It is best to use thinner steaks for pan cooking.
  • Pat the steaks dry with paper towels if necessary so they don't splatter when you add them to the pan.
  • Generously season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper.
  • Use a large cast-iron pan. Add a couple of tablespoons of high-heat oil, such as peanut, canola, or sunflower. Heat the pan at medium-high until very hot.
  • Using tongs, place the steaks into the hot pan. Ensure the pan is big enough so they aren't crowded.
  • If necessary, cover the pan with a screen to reduce splattering.
  • Cook the steaks for 3-4 minutes on the first side.
  • Flip the steaks and cook them an additional 4 minutes.  Start checking the internal temperature at this point.  Use these cooking times:
    Rare 115°F (46°C)
    Medium-rare 125°F (52°C)
    Medium 135°F (57°C)
    Medium-well 145°F. (63C)
    Well-done 160°F (71°C)
    The steaks will continue to cook after you remove them from the pan. The temperatures listed above take into account the continued cooking. If necessary to prevent over-browning, flip the steaks again.
  • Remove the cooked steaks to a platter and cover them.  Let them sit for 5 minutes.
  • Add the au poivre to the top of each steak.

Nutrition

Calories: 867kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 50gFat: 64gSaturated Fat: 34gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 228mgSodium: 715mgPotassium: 875mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1.168IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 5mg
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