Equipment
Ingredients
Steak and Crust
- 400 g beef sirloin steak, room temperature
- 15 g whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
- 6 g kosher salt
- 15 ml olive oil
Red Wine Pan Sauce
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 120 ml dry red wine
- 120 ml beef stock
- 30 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 657 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 47 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 1555 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 19 g
- Trans Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 23 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 168 mg
- Potassium
- 912 mg
- Calcium
- 64 mg
- Iron
- 6.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 69 mg
- Phosphorus
- 428 mg
- Zinc
- 14.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 113 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 21 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 5.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.50 mg
- Niacin
- 7.8 mg
- Folate
- 15 mcg
- Water
- 259 g
- Alcohol
- 6 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the whole peppercorns in a sealable plastic bag and crush them coarsely using a rolling pin or meat mallet. You want distinct cracked pieces, not a fine powder.
Pat the sirloin steaks thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season generously with the kosher salt, then firmly press the crushed peppercorns onto both sides of the meat so they adhere.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and begins to smoke slightly. Carefully lay the steaks in the pan and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 54C/130F for medium-rare.
Transfer the seared steaks to a clean, warm plate. Tent loosely with foil and let them rest while you prepare the sauce.
Lower the skillet heat to medium. Add the minced shallots to the residual beef fat and olive oil. Sauté briefly until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour the red wine into the skillet to deglaze, using a wooden spoon or whisk to scrape up all the browned beef and peppercorn bits from the bottom. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half.
Add the beef stock to the skillet. Continue to simmer aggressively until the liquid reduces again, thickening slightly until it can lightly coat the back of a spoon.
Remove the skillet entirely from the heat. Add the cold cubed butter and whisk vigorously until the butter melts and the sauce becomes opaque, glossy, and slightly thickened. Pour any accumulated steak resting juices into the sauce, stir once, and spoon the warm sauce generously over the rested steaks.
Chef's Notes
- Crushing whole peppercorns fresh rather than using pre-ground pepper is critical. Pre-ground pepper is too fine, which will make the crust unpleasantly spicy and powdery instead of offering a fruity, crunchy bite.
- Resting the meat is non-negotiable. If you cut into the steak immediately, the muscle fibers have not had time to relax and reabsorb their juices, resulting in a dry steak and a watery plate.
- Mounting the sauce with butter off the heat (monter au beurre) is a classic French technique that thickens the sauce and provides a luxurious, velvety mouthfeel.
- For the best pan sauce, select a red wine that you would actually enjoy drinking. A dry Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir works wonderfully with beef.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the steak and the sauce in separate airtight containers.
Reheating: Warm the steak gently in a 120C/250F oven until just heated through. Reheat the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking constantly.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is thin and watery
Cause: The wine and stock were not reduced enough before adding butter
Fix: Remove the steaks, return the sauce to medium heat, and simmer until it reaches the correct consistency
Prevention: Allow liquids to reduce until they are syrupy and coat the back of a spoon
Sauce looks greasy or separated
Cause: Butter melted too quickly because the pan was too hot, or the butter was not cold
Fix: Whisk in a splash of cold heavy cream or a teaspoon of cold water vigorously to attempt re-emulsification
Prevention: Always remove the pan from the heat completely before whisking in ice-cold butter
Peppercorn crust tastes bitter or burnt
Cause: Pan was too hot or dry, scorching the spices
Fix: Scrape off the darkest peppercorns before serving; rely on the sauce to mask slight bitterness
Prevention: Monitor the heat and do not let the oil surpass its smoke point for too long
Cultural Context
This dish is heavily inspired by Steak au Poivre, a cornerstone of French bistro cuisine that originated in the 19th century. Traditionally made with filet mignon and a cognac cream sauce, this approachable variation utilizes flavorful sirloin and a lighter, deeply savory red wine reduction.
