Steak au poivre

Steak au poivre

Steak au poivre prepared with filet mignon and peppercorn sauce
Place of origin	French
Main ingredients	filet mignon, peppercorns

Steak au poivre (French pronunciation: ​[stɛk‿o pwavʁ], Quebec French pronunciation : [stei̯k‿o pwɑːvʁ]) or pepper steak is a French dish that consists of a steak, traditionally a filet mignon, coated with loosely cracked peppercorns and then cooked. The peppercorns form a crust on the steak when cooked and provide a pungent but complementary counterpoint to the rich flavor of the high-quality beef.

The peppercorn crust itself is made by placing the steak in a bed of cracked black (or mixed) peppercorns. Typically, the steak is seared in a hot skillet with a small amount of butter and oil. The steak is seared at a high temperature to cook the outside quickly and form the crust while leaving the interior rare to medium-rare. The steak is then left to rest for several minutes and then served.

Steak au poivre is often served with pan peppercorn sauce consisting of reduced cognac, heavy cream, and the fond from the bottom of the pan, often including other ingredients such as butter, shallots, and/or Dijon mustard. Common side dishes to steak au poivre are various forms of mashed potatoes and pommes frites (small fried shoestring potatoes). Steak au poivre may be found in traditional French restaurants in most urban areas.