Steak au Poivre

Ingredients

• 2 12-oz New York strip steaks trimmed and removed from fridge 1 hour before
• 3 tbs black peppercorns coarsely crushed
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbs neutral oil, like avocado, vegetable, or canola
• ½ C cognac or brandy
• 1 C heavy cream
• 1 tbs unsalted butter cold
• 1 medium shallot minced
• 1 tbs green peppercorns (Optional)

Directions

1. Heat a large stainless steel or cast iron pan to medium heat
2. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt kosher salt. Place the crushed peppercorns in a plate and press the steaks into the peppercorns on both sides to form a crust
3. Add the vegetable oil to the hot pan and once shimmering add the steaks. Cook the steaks, undisturbed, for 4 minutes per side. If the steaks have a large amount of fat on their sides, stand them up with tongs and sear until browned
4. Cook the steaks to your preference, then place the steaks on a cutting board and tent with foil. See notes below for cooking time and handling thick steaks
5. Pour off excess fat and add the shallot and a pinch of salt, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cognac. Place the pan back on the heat and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook until the cognac is almost evaporated (~2 minutes)
6. Add the cream to the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until the sauce coats the back of a spoon (~2-3 minutes)
7. Add the green peppercorns (optional) and season the sauce with salt to taste. Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter. Place ¼ of the sauce at the bottom of two separate plates. Plate the steaks and top with the remaining sauce

Chef's Notes

• Use an instant-read thermometer placed into the center of the steak to properly check the internal temp
• 4 minutes per side in a medium hot pan is roughly the amount of time a 10 to 12-ounce NY strip steak will take to reach 130-135°F after tenting. I usually cook to 120-125°F, which will allow carryover heat to bring steaks to medium-rare of 130-135°F
• If you have very thick steaks (1½" plus) finish the steaks in a 350°F oven until desired temp has been reached.