A homemade steak is also delicious on its own, but the black peppercorn sauce can give it that extra edge. The classic recipe for this sauce calls for the following ingredients: fat dripped from the meat, cognac, cooking cream and black peppercorns. You can replace these with pickled green peppercorns to make a spicy sauce. Do you want to exclude the cream? Replace it with a roux to thicken it. The sauce can be made even tastier by adding Dijon mustard or more salt and pepper.
Ingrediants
Classic Black Pepper Grain Steak Sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil or steak fat
- 35 g of chopped shallots
- 1 clove of minced garlic
- 60 ml of cognac or brandy
- 2 cups (500 ml) of beef broth
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) of coarsely ground black peppercorns
- 80 ml of cooking cream or heavy cream
- 4 teaspoons (10 g) of cornstarch
- 2-3 teaspoons (10-15 g) of Dijon mustard
Doses for 4 servings
Black Pepper Grain Sauce Without Cream
- 35 g of butter
- 35 g of flour
- 200 ml of milk
- 100 ml of chicken or vegetable broth
- 15 ml of brandy
- 15 g of black peppercorns
- Salt to taste.
Doses for 4 servings
Creamy Green Pepper Grain Sauce
- 15 g of butter
- 25 g of chopped shallot
- 180 ml of beef broth
- 250 ml of whipped cream
- 45 ml of cognac or brandy
- 6 g drained green peppercorns in brine
Doses for 4 servings
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Make a Classic Black Pepper Grain Steak Sauce
Step 1. Heat the oil and in the meantime chop the shallot and garlic
Pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil or steak fat into a skillet and set the heat on medium heat. Peel a shallot and a clove of garlic. Chop the shallot with a sharp knife until you get 35 g. Also, chop the garlic.
Step 2. Saute the shallots and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes
Mix the shallots and garlic in the hot oil. Let them cook until the shallots soften. Allow a couple of minutes of cooking.
Step 3. Incorporate the cognac, beef broth and peppercorns
Keeping the heat at medium heat, stir in 60ml of cognac or brandy, 2 cups (500ml) of beef broth and 1 tablespoon (8g) of coarsely crushed black peppercorns.
Step 4. Melt the cornstarch in the cream and whisk everything together
Take a small bowl and pour 80 ml of cooking cream into it. Add 4 tablespoons (10 g) of cornstarch and beat until dissolved. Whisk the mixture into the pan along with the sauce.
Step 5. Stir in the mustard and simmer the sauce for at least 5 minutes
Stir in 2 to 3 teaspoons (10-15 g) of Dijon mustard by whisking it into the pan with the other ingredients and bring the sauce to a boil. Let it simmer until you get the desired consistency. It takes from 5 (for a more liquid sauce) to 30 minutes (for a particularly thick sauce). Serve it with a steak.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge using an airtight container. Reheat and consume them within 1 to 2 days
Method 2 of 3: Make a Black Peppercorn Sauce Without Cream
Step 1. Crush the black peppercorns
Measure 4 teaspoons (15 g) of black peppercorns and pour them into a mortar. Crush them with the pestle until they are crushed slightly and release their aroma.
You can put them in an airtight plastic bag if you don't have a mortar and pestle. Press them with a rolling pin until they are lightly flattened
Step 2. Melt the butter and stir in the flour
Pour 2 1/2 tablespoons (35 g) of butter into a small bowl and set the heat to low. Incorporate 4 1/2 tablespoons (35 g) of flour once the butter has melted. Stir and cook the roux until the flour is completely absorbed.
Step 3. Cook the roux for 2 minutes
Stir and cook the roux on low for 2 minutes. It should become thick and mushy.
Step 4. Incorporate the brandy
Pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of brandy into the roux and mix until the liquid is completely absorbed. The alcohol in the brandy should evaporate with cooking
Step 5. Incorporate the milk by whisking it
Measure 200ml of milk and slowly pour it over the mixture while whisking. Keep whisking to keep the sauce from becoming lumpy.
Step 6. Incorporate the chicken stock and black peppercorns
Once the sauce is smooth and homogeneous, stir in 100ml of chicken or vegetable broth. Add the crushed black peppercorns.
Step 7. Season and serve the sauce
Taste the sauce and season with salt. You can serve it immediately with your favorite dish or continue to simmer it to make it even thicker.
Leftover salsa can be stored in the fridge for 1 to 2 days using an airtight container
Method 3 of 3: Make a Creamy Green Pepper Grain Sauce
Step 1. Heat the butter and chop the shallot
Pour 1 tablespoon (15 g) of butter into a skillet and set the heat to medium-high. Peel 1 shallot and chop finely with a sharp knife. You should get about 25g.
If you cooked the steaks in the pan, you could use 1 tablespoon (15 g) of fat instead of butter
Step 2. Saute the shallot for 2 minutes
Incorporate the chopped shallot into the melted butter. Cook it and stir it until soft. This should take 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Step 3. Stir in the beef stock, whipped cream, cognac and green peppercorns
Add 180ml of beef broth, 1 cup (250ml) of whipped cream, 3 tablespoons (45ml) of cognac or brandy, and 2 tablespoons (6g) of drained green peppercorns. Stir the sauce to mix the ingredients well.
You can also use cooking cream or heavy cream
Step 4. Simmer the sauce for 6 minutes
Adjust the heat to medium-high to bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderate to simmer. Stir it and let it boil slowly until it thickens slightly. This should take 6 minutes.
Step 5. Season and serve the creamy green peppercorn sauce
Taste the sauce, then season with salt and crushed pepper to taste. Pour it while hot over steak, chicken, or rice with a spoon.
