Peppercorn Steak: the classic recipe for a steak with creamy green peppercorn sauce

Peppercorn steak is one of those classic steakhouse dishes that seems tricky to make but is actually perfectly easy to recreate at home. Also known by its French name fillet au poivre, peppercorn steak is made by cooking a good-quality cut of steak, usually New York Strip or porterhouse, and dressing it in homemade peppercorn sauce.

The sauce itself is usually made from brandy, steak drippings, and black peppercorns, with some heavy cream to give it that amazing rich, thick, creamy texture. Anyway, this recipe calls for green peppercorns. To enjoy the recipe at its best, cook the filet rare.

Peppercorn steak is a savory, mouthwatering, and of course, peppery dish you can make as a quick weeknight dinner but is also fancy enough to serve to guests.

How to Make Peppercorn Steak

There's not too much involved in making homemade steak with green peppercorn sauce. Cook the steaks to your preferred level of doneness, then cover them with foil and set them aside to rest.

Meanwhile, pour the brandy into the same pan you cooked the steak in to deglaze it – don't forget to scrape up and brown bits from the bottom of the pan. They'll add a lot of flavor to the sauce.

Once the alcohol has burned off, transfer the steak in a plate. In the pan, add the mustard, cream and bring to a boil. Place again the steaks into the pan, then plate them with a generously spoon of the peppercorn sauce over the meat and enjoy immediately.

What to Serve with Peppercorn Steak

When it comes to sides, keep things simple with your peppercorn steak. Serve up vegetables like roasted carrots, steamed green beans, asparagus, roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes.

Dinner rolls or popovers would be a great addition to the table because you'll want something to mop up that delicious peppercorn sauce.

Tips for the Best Steak with Peppercorn Sauce

You can replace the brandy with cognac or whiskey, but you can also get a good result with red or white wine.

If you don't like rare filet, you can extend the cooking for a few minutes and get it pinker.

Take the steaks out about 20 to 30 minutes before you start cooking so they can come up to room temperature.

Make sure not to cook the sauce too quickly once you've added in the cream.

Use dried black peppercorns instead of green peppercorns for a more pungent yet equally tasty twist.

Sliced mushrooms are a great addition to the peppercorn sauce. Use them to enhance the savory flavor of the dish and make a heartier sauce.

If your sauce isn't thickening up, you can add more flour to speed up the process.

How to store Peppercorn Steak

We suggest you eat the filet with green pepper at the moment, as soon as it is ready. You can store it in the refrigerator, closed in a special airtight container, for up to one day.

Instructions

Take the meat and clean it from any nerves with a sharp knife (1).

Using a kitchen string, tie the medallions on the edges (2), so that they hold their shape while cooking.

Flour the medallions on all sides (3).

Melt the butter gently in the bottom of a non-stick pan (4).

Arrange the medallions and brown them for a few minutes (5).

Turn the meat over and brown it on the other side as well (6).

Add the green pepper, drained from the brine, and let the meat flavor (7).

Add salt to the meat and deglaze with the brandy. Then put the meat over high heat for a few seconds (8).

At this point remove the filet and keep it aside (9).

Add the mustard to the cooking juices (10).

Pour in the cream and bring to a boil (11).

Meanwhile, remove the string from the medallions (12).

Then place them for a few seconds in the sauce to heat them (13).

Serve the filet sprinkling it with the cooking juices (14).

Serve immediately, finishing with a little fresh rosemary (15).