Steak Au Poivre

Prep time: 20 mins

Servings: 4 pers

Cook time: 30-40 mins

Category: Snack

Origin: Middle East

INGREDIENTS

🥩4 8oz Steaks (1.5" to 2" thick, tender, boneless, evenly marbled steaks recommended)
🥩Kosher salt
🥩3/4 cup whole black peppercorns, cracked with a mortar & pestle into quarters & halves
🥩3 tbsp Garcia de la Cruz Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
🥩2 tbsp salted butter
🥩3 fresh thyme sprigs
🥩3 garlic cloves, 2 crushed, 1 finely minced
🥩2 shallots, finely minced
🥩3 tbsp brandy or cognac
🥩1 cup chicken stock or broth
🥩1 cup heavy cream
🥩1 tbsp Dijon mustard

DIRECTIONS

1. Season steaks with salt. Air dry uncovered 15 mins.
2. Spread cracked pepper into a shallow rimmed plate. Press steaks into pepper until fully encrusted on one side. You can also encrust both sides of the steak. Since I love mine peppery & used a cylindrical cuts of beef, I coated my strips all the way around.
3. Heat Garcia de la Cruz Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil on med high heat in a cast iron or other heavy bottomed skillet. Sear 3 mins on coated side first until pepper is toasted but not burnt. Flip steak, add butter, crushed garlic & 2 sprigs thyme. Sear steak 3 mins, basting with herb garlic butter half way through searing
4. Discard garlic & thyme. Remove steaks from heat. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375F.
5. Now, make the Au Poivre sauce in the same skillet & fat.
6. Sauté shallots on med heat until tender. Add minced garlic, then Cognac or Brandy & evaporate. Add chicken stock, stir & scrape up pan drippings & brown bits. Bring to a boil. Whisk in cream & add remaining sprig of thyme. Simmer 15 mins or until sauce reduces & thickens.
7. Meanwhile, place steaks in oven for 6 mins while you work on sauce. Remove & rest steaks 5 mins while you finish sauce.
8. Fish out thyme. Whisk in mustard.
9. Drizzle steaks with sauce, or serve with sauce on the side with potatoes & salad.