Steak (Au Poivre)

Overview

Steak. Its not just a piece of meat, it’s something that represents so much more than just a meal. The first images that come to mind - celebration, friends, family, warm summer day, smell of the barbeque, good beer, and long nights. It also represents milestones - starting a new job, getting that promotion, or celebrating someone that you cherish.

I’ll admit, fire and meat are a match made in heaven. It’s hard to compete! But its not impossible, and making a good pan seared steak is skill everyone should be able to do at home.

“I can’t cook, but bro I can grill.” Dumber words have never been spoken to me many times in my life. I think you can picture the type. The reality is - to grill is to cook. Treating a piece of beef well is all about heat management. But at the end of the day, so is cooking!

While I’m at it - for those “purists” that think steak should only be cooked on a grill and eaten with salt and pepper, I say go bother someone else because you’re wrong.

Steak au Poivre, an old school French bistro staple that came and went like a fashion trend, is finally cool again. Its steak with a beautiful creamy pepper sauce that is pure perfection. Serve and eat with the best, crusty, rustic bread for a delightful meal.

In the recipe below, we’ll walk through the steps to making a great pan-seared steak. I’ll admit, using a cast iron skillet isn’t required but highly recommended. I’ll also add in a few steps to make a great Steak au Poivre.

McManis Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Pairing

Steak dishes almost demand a wine pairing, as they often go so well together. In this case, a red wine is almost always required. For steak, it is often noted that a bolder red wine that has medium to high tannins and high acidity are required, as these pair well with the bolder flavours of the meat and cut through the salt and fat. However, this specific recipe requires something with a little more finesse and flavour than your typical flavour bomb red wine.

The sauce in this recipe is a creamy peppery sauce that is a little more delicate than the typical salty and buttery steak. It needs something with enough structure to work well with the steak, but not too bold that it overshadows the nuances within the sauce.

In this case, a medium bodied red wine works perfect. It has enough structure and flavour to pair with the meal, without overwhelming the palate and ruining the subtleties of the rest of the meal.

One specific wine that works well is the McManis Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s medium body and great bold flavours work really well with the meat. California Cabernet typically is too austere for this type of recipe, but the McManis is much lighter than most Cabernets and is subtle enough to pair quite well. If you’re interested in more about this wine, you can find more information and tasting notes here.

Ingredients (2 Steaks = 2 Meals)

• 2x 1.5inch thick steak of your choosing

  • I love seasoning with Montreal steak spice. I find it goes well with the pepper sauce.

• Flaky sea salt

• 1-2Tbsp of whole black peppercorns

• Vegetable oil

• 1 whole head of garlic, cut in half down the thickest part

• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely minced

• 4 springs of thyme

• 3-4 Tbsp of GOOD butter

• 2 Shallots, finely chopped

• 0.5cup of cognac (or brandy)

• 0.5cup of heavy cream

Steps

• Prepare Steaks

  • Wash them, pat them dry.

  • Season with either salt and lots of ground pepper, or Montreal steak spice blend.

  • Let them rest outside of the fridge for 30min - 1h before cooking.

• Other Preparations

  • With your pepper grinder, grind 1-2 Tbsp of black peppercorns into a small bowl.

  • Place your pan or cast iron skillet on a medium-high heat. Allow the pan to come up to temperature, it should be hot!

  • Preheat the oven to 400F. Why? Because if you’ve undercooked your steak, just put it in a pan and throw in back in the oven for a few extra minutes.

• Cook the Steaks

  • Once the steaks have been rested, and the pan is up to temperature, add 2-3 Tbsp of Vegetable oil, 1 head of garlic cut in half face down, and 4 springs of thyme.

    • If your steak has a ‘fat cap’, rest the steaks on the fat cap for 2-3 minute first.

    • This way, that ‘fat cap’ releases flavourful fats and you might not need as much oil.

    • It also helps crisp the ‘fat cap’.

  • Cook the steaks 3-5 minutes on 1 side, then 3-5 minutes the other.

    • The time will be VERY dependent on the heat of your pan and the thickness of your steaks.

    • Place the steaks down and do not touch them for the duration of cooking of either side.

    • After the first 3-5 minutes, check to see if a nice golden brown crust has formed on the steak.

    • If so, you’ve nailed it and your heat is spot on.

    • Drop in 2 Tbsp of GOOD butter, and cook the other side while continuously basting with butter.

    • If you’re using a thermometer, target 125F for medium rare, 135F for medium.

• Rest the Steaks

  • Place the steaks on a cutting board, resting the steaks for 5-10 minutes.

  • You DONT want to cut these. If you do, all the juices will leave the steak and it’ll be dry to eat.

  • Place garlic and thyme on top of the steaks, drizzle the fat and butter over the steaks.

  • This will be one last baste and will increase the temperature of the steak to its desired range (135F for medium rare, 145F for medium).

  • If the steak is undercooked, throw it in the oven for a few minutes.

• Prepare the Pepper Sauce (Optional!)

  • Return the pan or cast iron skilled to medium heat.

    • I used the same pan as my steaks. The oil and spices from the steak creates a perfect bridge between the steak flavour and the sauce flavour. Delicious!

  • Drop in 2 fined chopped shallots, 2-3 fined minced garlic cloves, 1-2Tbsp of crushed black peppercorns, and remaining 2Tbsp of butter into the pan.

  • Cook until shallot and garlic are softened, but not browned.

  • Remove from heat and add 0.5cup of cognac.

  • Add back to heat on medium and stir until your spoon leaves streaks in the skillet.

    • Most of the cognac should be evaporated.

    • It should take about 2-3 minutes.

    • Steaks in the skillet means that liquid doesnt immediately fill the line behind the spoon after you slide it through.

• Finish the Pepper Sauce (Optional!)

  • Add 0.5cup of heavy cream and bring to a simmer.

  • This should take 1-2mins.

  • Remove from heat and season with salt to your liking.

• For Serving: Serve the sauce with the steak. Dip it, pour it over, and place on top of. Your call chef!