BBQ Steak Au Poivre

This is a dish I have been doing all my cooking life, it is classic French Bistro cooking at its best, simple, rich and elegant.

It’s one of those dishes you never forget and every time I cook it I wonder why I don’t do it more often, the classics are like that!

Steak au poivre (Steak with peppercorns) is easy to cook and still holds its own on any menu, high end haute cuisine or just hanging at the BBQ!

Eye Fillet steak cooked rare to medium with a creamy Green Peppercorn sauce, it’s simple and a knockout, the richness of the sauce perfectly complements the steak! If you have your mise en place (everything chopped, measured and ready) it will come together in a flash and without stress but it’ll look like you slaved all day

• Eye Fillet Steak
• 2 tablespoon sliced spring onion or shallots
• 2 tablespoons green peppercorns (packed in brine) if you can get pink peppercorns, try them, or a mix!
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons brandy, preferably Cognac
• 2 teaspoons flour
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Salt, to taste

Slice the onions finely, here these are called “Spring Onions” you may call them something else.

Open a can of Green Peppercorns and drain out the liquid.

Get all the other ingredients together so you are ready to go

Salt the steak a half hour before grilling

I’m using my Weber Go Anywhere grill with a set of Cast Iron Grates to give me a great sear.

A hot charcoal fire is perfect for this and the Go Anywhere is the right size for a dinner for up to four.

Put the steak on the grill, then at the first turn of the steak, start the green peppercorn sauce.

Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat.

Add the onions and cook for a minute or two till the onions just soften

Add the green peppercorns and cook down for another minute or so, crush a few of the peppercorns with your spoon to bring out the flavour, add the flour and cook, while stirring, for another minute

Add the cream and cook till the cream has reduced by half, this shouldn’t take long and it’s a good time to check your steak

Add the Brandy and cook until the alcohol has burned off and the sauce is thick and creamy. Set the sauce aside

Remove the steaks when they are your required doneness.

Assemble the plates with your sides, in a French restaurant pommes frites (potato fries) would be the norm and that’s what I would do in winter, but it’s summer here so a little salad for decoration.

Reheat the sauce a little and pour over the steak.

A great dish for “Date Night” or any special occasion.

Bon Appétit