Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! We have mentioned in the past how we rarely venture out to eat for Valentine’s Day. The restaurants are crowded, overpriced, and usually serve limited menus, none of which sound particularly romantic to us. Instead, we splurge a little on something extra tasty to cook together at home. We still ALWAYS spend less than we would if we went out. Romantic meals don’t have to be complicated. This recipe for a French classic steak au poivre only takes about 30 minutes to prepare. Pair it with some roasted potatoes and green beans for a classic French bistro dinner right at home.
The Sauce:
Steak au poivre roughly translates to peppered steak. But the pepper is not just part of the seasoning process – it’s in the sauce! You know French cuisine and its sauces. It’s not French if it doesn’t feature a complicated sauce, right? Well, sauces don’t have to be complicated! This green peppercorn sauce is addicting and requires only a few ingredients. The whole green peppercorns, however, are key. We get ours in bulk at Central Market or Whole Foods. I highly recommend some dinner rolls or a nice baguette to sop up that extra sauce at the end of the meal.
Although not necessarily required, if you are into French cooking, we highly recommend getting a good chinois mesh strainer. This really helps to filter out everything from your sauces, leaving behind the perfect velvety consistency. A regular strainer works as well, but you may get some bits of garlic, peppercorns, or herbs that make its way through. We actually got ours cheaply at the local restaurant supply store.
The Steak:
Now, let’s talk about the steak. First off, it’s incredibly important to start with a good quality product! It’s Valentine’s Day afterall, so splurge on the Prime ribeye or, even better, a grassfed or aged ribeye. Once you’ve selected a good quality steak, you want to allow it come to room temperature, is possible, before preparing, and make sure to pat dry before searing. No need to season or marinade ahead of time.
There are SO many ways to prepare a steak, between grilling, searing, and sous vide methods, it’s hard to decide what’s the best approach. We are very big fans of the sous vide method – however, we feel this is best reserved for leaner steaks like filet mignon. For fattier steaks like a ribeye, they lend themselves well to grilling or searing. For this classic French preparation, we sear the steak in a cast iron skillet. This is our favorite cooking pan for ensuring a perfect sear without sticking. We prefer our steaks cooked medium rare or medium, but if you prefer a more well done steak, you can easily transfer the skillet into the oven to continue cooking while you finish with your sauce.
Pairings:
We opted to pair our steak au poivre with some simple garlic roasted potatoes and sauteed green beans. A well cooked steak does not need fancy sides! If you want to go full French bistro, you can do a Steak frites. The peppercorn sauce is heavenly with french fries. As far as wine pairings – unfortunately with pregnancy right now I had to stick to non-alcoholic drinks, but a bold French Bordeaux is never a bad idea with a steak like this.
Add in some tasty French chocolates or macarons for dessert and you’ve got a fantastic meal for two right in the comfort of your own home.
For more romantic Valentine’s Day dinner ideas, check out our round up of recipes. Happy cooking!
Date Night: Steak Au Poivre
Ingredients
The Steak
- 1 16-18 ounce Ribeye Preferably prime; let come to room temperature if time allows
- ¾ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¾ Teaspoon Ground Green Pepper Can sub black pepper here as well
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
The Sauce
- ½ Cup Cognac Can sub Brandy
- 2 Cloves Garlic Smashed
- 2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Tablespoons Whole Green Peppercorns
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200F
- Pat the steak dry and coat with the salt and pepper.
- Next, heat up a cast iron skillet over high heat and add the butter. Once the butter begins to melt, place the steak in the butter and sear for 4-5 minutes.
- Flip the steak and cook another 4-5 minutes (time may vary slightly depending on the thickness of your steak and desired doneness). For medium-rare, the meat thermometer should read 135.
- When finished searing the steak, place the steak on a heat proof pan or plate and place into the warm oven.
- Next, return your skillet with the steak drippings to the stovetop over medium heat.
- Add the cognac, garlic, and rosemary and reduce until about ⅓ of the liquid is left and it becomes glossy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream, whole green peppercorns, and salt and whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to simmer, whisking occasionally, and let reduce by about half, approximately another 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and whisk in the 1 tablespoon of butter. Strain the sauce (optional) and top the steak with it. Serve immediately.
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