Black Peppercorn Sauce, Sauce au Poivre is a classic peppery creamy sauce, used mainly with pan fried steak. Very quick, easy homemade recipe, made from scratch.
Black Peppercorn Sauce or Sauce au Poivre you'd like to use the fancy name is absolutely wonderful. It's rich and creamy with a luxurious taste.
How do you make peppercorn sauce from scratch?
This sauce only takes a matter of minutes to make. Depending on how much of a sauce fan you are, you may want to double up the recipe. I know some people like to have the sauce smothered over their steaks and others like just a little sauce. You decide what suits you most.
The recipe is very straightforward, and doesn't require much effort. The only thing you need to be aware of is to not split the sauce when you add the cream. So follow the instructions and you will be fine!
This site contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, check Privacy Policy.
What does peppercorn sauce taste like?
As the name, it is a classic peppery sauce. You can adjust the flavor and level of heat to suit your taste. for example, you could add green or red peppercorns, and also add more or fewer peppercorns, obviously, the more peppercorns you add, the hotter the sauce will be.
We suggest you taste the sauce as you are making it so it is the level of heat to suit. The quantities of peppercorns in the recipe will give you a gentle heat flavor, just enough to notice the pepper, but not so hot it is uncomfortable to eat.
What is peppercorn sauce made of?
So the peppercorns, combined with the rich cream and the cognac, or brandy, once cooked off, gives you a wonderful warming taste, and when poured over a sizzling sirloin steak, it really is delicious!
It's a classic combination to have Black Peppercorn Sauce with steak, but you know, this sauce also goes very nicely with pork and chicken too.
So let's see how to make this classic creamy peppercorn sauce, better than the restaurants!
Prep Time
5 Minutes
Cook Time
10 Minutes
Serves
2- 4
Ingredients you'll need
- Black Peppercorns
- Butter
- Shallot, minced
- Brandy
- Beef Stock
- Heavy / Double Cream
- Salt, to taste
- Steaks pan fried
Instructions
1. Using a rolling pin or pestle and mortar, crush the peppercorns to break them slightly. (You don't want whole peppercorns in the sauce)
2. In a saucepan over medium heat add the butter and melt. Then add the shallot and saute until soft. Then add the peppercorns. Add the brandy and bring to the boil. Then add the beef stock and bring back up to boiling.
3. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and add the cream and stir. Allow to gently heat through completely without boiling. (boiling may cause the sauce to split).
4. Continue to heat the sauce gently until it is the thickness you wish. Between 5 - 10 minutes. Taste the sauce and add salt if desired.
5. When ready, serve in a sauce jug or pour directly over your cooked steaks.
We'd love to hear from you and what you thought of our post. Did you make any changes or add some other goodies? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and happy cooking!
Recipe Card
Black Peppercorn Sauce, Sauce au Poivre
Black Peppercorn Sauce, Sauce au Poivre is a classic peppery creamy sauce, used mainly with pan fried steak. Very quick, easy homemade recipe, made from scratch.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Black Peppercorns
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 Cup or 110 ml Brandy
- 1/2 Cup or 110 ml Beef Stock
- 1/4 Cup or 60 ml Heavy / Double Cream
- Salt, to taste
- 2 x 8 - 10 oz sirloin or rump steaks, pan fried
Instructions
- Using a rolling pin or pestle and mortar, crush the peppercorns to break them slightly. (You don't want whole peppercorns in the sauce)
- In a saucepan over medium heat add the butter and melt. Then add the shallot and saute until soft. Then add the peppercorns. Add the brandy and bring to the boil. Then add the beef stock and bring back up to boiling.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and add the cream and stir. Allow to gently heat through completely without boiling. (boiling may cause the sauce to split).
- Continue to heat the sauce gently until it is the thickness you wish. Between 5 - 10 minutes. Taste the sauce and add salt if desired.
- When ready, serve in a sauce jug or pour directly over your cooked steaks.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 446Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 597mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate
Delicious Savory Sauces
Here's a selection of delicious sauces to go with savory food. All easy to make and so tasty!
Best Ever Tartar Sauce - Easy to make and always a hit! Goes great with seafood, fish, burgers, salads. The sky's the limit!
Black Peppercorn Sauce, Sauce au Poivre is a lovely accompaniment to steak, easy and quick to make too!
Lemon and Garlic Butter Sauce. This is delicious served with seafood, fish, chicken or pork. Very easy and quick to make too!
A very easy recipe and goes great with a turkey dinner! Use as a sauce or marinade, add in wraps, salads, the possibilities are endless. Make ahead, freezer friendly and make great gifts in little jars too! Thanksgiving and Christmas Collection
How To Make A Basic Cheese Sauce with NO lumps!! Come and try it, and surprise yourself!
3 minute Apple Sauce. Easy method and no additives etc. Great as a topping on plain yogurt, or as a sauce for a main meal, use in baking etc!
Mojo Picante, Spanish Red Pepper Sauce.This is a lovely tasting sauce popular in the Canary Islands. Serve with Tapas, goes great with seafood, chicken, and pork.
Shrimp Cocktail with Marie Rose Seafood Sauce is a wonderful refreshing appetizer suitable for any occasion
Home Made Onion Gravy. Simple, quick easy recipe, made from scratch. Rich, full of flavor with no additives or colorings. Great addition to casseroles, steaks, and popular
British foods such as bangers and mash, toad in the hole and many more. Freezer
friendly
Nanny's VERY Easy Bleu Cheese Salad Dressing is a quick and simple recipe. Use on your salads and also goes great as a dip or serve with party food!
Anne
says:I’ve been making this recipe for a while now, and it’s truly delicious! I’m vegan, so I add some flour after frying the onions to give it some body. I have used red wine instead of cognac, and that’s also delicious. Thanks for the recipe!❤❤
Michael Ferguson
says:Sauce au poivre turned out beautifully, thank you!
Calvin
says:What would be a good substitute for the Brandy, for someone who would prefer not to use alcohol?
Lovefoodies
says:Hi Calvin, you can leave the brandy out, I can’t think of a substitute which would give you the same flavour, but you could try adding a splash of balsamic vinegar to it to give it some acidity.
Carina
says:Not sure when the peppercorns need to be added! Just added at the brandy/stock stage? Are you meant to let the alcohol burn of or not?
Carina
Lovefoodies
says:Hi Carina, I’ve just updated the recipe for the peppercorns. For some reason it was left out so thanks for spotting that! They go in after you’ve softened the shallot. For the alcohol, it burns off when it is brought to the boil (step 2).
Hope that helps!