How to Cook the Perfect Steak with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce
A perfectly cooked Scotch fillet (boneless ribeye) with a classic creamy peppercorn (Steak au Poivre) sauce.
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the steak
- Remove the Scotch fillet from the fridge 1 to 2 hours before cooking, allowing it to come closer to room temperature. This helps the steak cook more evenly.
- Place the whole black peppercorns into a mortar and pestle and crush them coarsely. You want small pieces of pepper rather than a fine powder.
- Pat the steak completely dry with paper towels.
- Just before cooking, sprinkle Murray River Salt Flakes generously over your chopping board and press both sides of the steak into the salt.
- Press half of the crushed peppercorns firmly onto both sides of the steak, creating an even coating.
- Cook the steak
- Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat until very hot.
- Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the base of the pan. Add the crushed garlic cloves and the thyme or rosemary.
- Carefully lay the steak into the pan, placing it down away from you.
- Cook without moving it for 1 minute.
- Turn the steak using tongs and cook the second side for 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to medium. The pan has already done its job of building the crust. Lowering the heat now allows the steak to cook more evenly without the outside becoming too dark before the centre reaches the correct temperature.
- Continue cooking, turning the steak every minute and checking the internal temperature with a digital meat thermometer, until it reaches approximately 6°C below your desired finished temperature.
- Turning the steak every minute helps it cook more evenly from edge to centre while still developing a deep, caramelised crust. Each time you turn it, the steak is also making contact with a fresh part of the pan, helping develop an even crust.
- Transfer the steak to a wire rack set over a plate or tray and rest for 8 to 10 minutes.
- The steak will continue cooking as it rests, bringing it up to the target temperature while allowing the juices to redistribute through the meat.
- Remove the garlic and herbs from the pan.
- Pour away any excess oil or rendered fat, leaving approximately 1 teaspoon behind, along with all the caramelised bits (fond) on the base of the pan.
- Return the pan to medium heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the butter, followed by the finely diced shallot. Cook gently for about 2 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened but not coloured.
- Add the cognac or brandy. If you're confident doing so, carefully flambé the alcohol. Otherwise, allow it to simmer until reduced by approximately half.
- Add the Gault's Beef Stock and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard and the remaining crushed peppercorns.
- Add the cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon.
- Pour any resting juices collected beneath the steak into the sauce.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the remaining tablespoon of cold butter, straight from the fridge, until the sauce becomes glossy and silky.
- Taste and season with Murray River Salt Flakes if required.
- To serve
- Serve the Scotch fillet whole or sliced across the grain.
- Spoon the sauce generously over the steak and serve with crisp fries, creamy mashed potato, buttered green beans or a simple green salad.
Simon says ...
Patting the steak completely dry is one of the secrets to developing a rich, caramelised crust. Moisture is the enemy of browning.
Season the steak just before it goes into the pan. Salting too early can draw moisture to the surface, making it harder to achieve a great crust.
Pressing the peppercorns onto the steak before cooking allows them to toast in the pan, creating the classic flavour that defines Steak au Poivre.
Always make the sauce in the same pan you cooked the steak in. The caramelised bits (fond) are packed with flavour and are the foundation of a great peppercorn sauce.
Steak's expensive. Thermometers are cheap. A digital meat thermometer is the easiest way to cook steak perfectly every time. Even experienced chefs rely on one rather than guessing.
Remember that the steak will continue cooking after it leaves the pan. This is called carryover cooking, which is why I remove mine from the pan about 6°C before my target finished temperature.
Don't be afraid to turn your steak every minute. Frequent turning cooks the steak more evenly from edge to centre while still producing an excellent crust. The old advice to only turn a steak once has largely been disproven.
Resting the steak on a wire rack rather than a plate allows air to circulate underneath, helping to keep the crust crisp while the juices redistribute. Don't forget to pour those resting juices back into your sauce for even more flavour.
Finish the sauce with cold butter, straight from the fridge, and whisk it in off the heat. This gives the sauce a rich, glossy finish and helps prevent it from splitting.
One tablespoon of black peppercorns gives a 500g Scotch fillet a medium pepper flavour. Increase the quantity if you prefer a bolder pepper flavour, or substitute some of the black peppercorns with green or pink peppercorns for a softer, more aromatic finish. A blend of black, green and pink peppercorns works well and lets you tailor the pepper flavour to your own taste.
Steak Temperatures Guide
| Doneness | Remove from pan | Finished after resting |
| Rare | 44°C | 50°C |
| Medium rare | 48°C | 54°C |
| Medium | 54°C | 60°C |
| Medium well | 59°C | 65°C |
| Well done | 65°C | 71°C |
These temperatures are a guide only. Thickness, the starting temperature of the steak and the type of pan can all affect cooking time, so always rely on your thermometer rather than
These temperatures are a guide only. Thickness, the starting temperature of the steak and the type of pan can all affect cooking time, so always rely on your thermometer rather than the clock.
Transfer the steak to a wire rack set over a plate or tray and rest for 8 to 10 minutes.
The steak will continue cooking as it rests, bringing it up to the target temperature while allowing the juices to redistribute through the meat.
