Mean Chefs Steak Au Poivre Recipes

MEAN CHEF'S STEAK AU POIVRE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 500°F.
• Sprinkle the steaks with salt on both sides, and then press the ground peppercorns into the steaks on both sides.
• Set a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add just enough olive oil to make a light film.
• When the oil is very hot, add the steaks, cooking until nicely browned on one side, about 3 minute.
• (If the pan is small, work in batches.) Flip the meat over and put the skillet in the oven.
• For medium-rare steaks, roast for 3 minutes for 6-ounce steaks; 4 minutes for 8-ounce steaks.
• Check for doneness with the tip of a knife or by pressing with your fingertips, keeping in mind that the steaks will cook a bit more as they sit.
• Transfer the steaks to a warm plate and tent with foil.
• With a spoon, remove any fat from the skillet.
• Put the skillet back on the burner and heat to medium high.
• Add the wine and cook until it's reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7 minutes, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. REMOVE PAN FROM THE HEAT.
• Whisk in the butter a slice at a time, whisking until completely melted.
• Taste and adjust the seasonings, drizzle the sauce over the steaks, and serve immediately with more sauce on the side.
• Variations: add shallots to the pan sauce, finish with chopped parsley.
• substitute 4 tbl cognac and 1/2 cup dark stock in place of the wine.
• substitute 1/4 cup cream and 1/4 cup cognac for the wine- reduce slightly to thicken.

STEAK AU POIVRE (CLASSIC)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200º.
• Pat steaks dry and season both sides with kosher salt.
• Coarsely crush peppercorns in a sealed plastic bag with a meat pounder or bottom of a heavy skillet, then press pepper evenly onto both sides of steaks.
• Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium high heat until hot, about 3 min, then add oil. Swirl skillet to lightly coat the entire skillet.
• Saute steaks in batches (2 at a time). DO NOT TOUCH - this lets them brown nicely and makes all the difference. Cook for 6 min and flip and cook for another 6 minute for medium rare steaks. Repeat with remaining 2 steaks.
• Transfer cooked steaks to a heatprook platter and keep warm in the oven.
• After all 4 steaks are cooked pour off fat from skillet if any, then add shallots and half of the butter. Cook over medium low heat, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of the pan until the shallots are well browned all over, 3-5 minute.
• Remove skillet from heat and add Cognac. (If you add while on the burner it may ignite.) Boil, stirring until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 2-3 minute.
• Add cream and any meat juices that have accumulated on the platter in the oven. Boil sauce, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 3-5 minute
• Add the other half of the butter and cook over low heat swirling the skillet to melt and incorporate the butter.
• Serve sauce with steaks.

STEAK AU POIVRE WITH WILD MUSHROOM AND BOURBON SAUCE

Steps:

• Rub the steaks with the pepper.
• (The chef recommends coarsely ground versus cracked pepper so that it is less hot and spicy but I've used cracked pepper-in fact more than the recipe calls for-it's your call).
• Put the steaks in a shallow dish and pour 1/4 cup of the bourbon on them.
• Cover with plastic and let sit at room temp for 1-2 hours.
• Put the mushrooms in a small bowl, pour the boiling water over them and let them sit for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.
• Remove the mushrooms but save the liquid.
• Rinse the mushrooms well, cut off any tough bits and discard.
• Finely chop the mushrooms.
• Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with cheesecloth and save 1/2 cup of it.
• In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil and butter over high heat until just beginning to glisten.
• Add steaks and cook until browned, about 2 minutes a side.
• Remove from heat and add the other 1/4 cup of bourbon.
• Stand back, ignite with a long match, then shake the pan until the flames die down.
• Transfer the filets to a heatproof platter and cook in the oven until done, about 15 min.
• for medium.
• Add the garlic and shallots to pan and cook over moderate heat, covered, until soft (about 6-8 min.).
• Increase the heat to high, add the 1/2 cup of reserved liquid.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until syrupy, about 2 min.
• Sir in the cream and cook until slightly reduced, 2-3 min.
• Stir in the reserved mushrooms, reduce heat to low, and cook 2 more min.
• Season with salt to taste.
• Transfer steaks to warmed plates.
• Stir any juices from the meat into the sauce and spoon over the steaks.
• Serve immediately.

STEAK AU POIVRE

Steps:

• If you have the time, prepare your steaks several hours ahead. Start by crushing the peppercorns very coarsely. Take a shallow dish, large enough to hold the two steaks, without them touching. Pour in one tablespoon olive oil, mixed with half of the crushed garlic. Coat each steak evenly on both sides with the peppercorns, and pressing them in firmly (use a heavy plate to do this). Lay the steaks in the dish and spoon over the other tablespoon of oil and the rest of the garlic. Cover and leave them in the fridge for several hours, turning once.
• When you're ready to cook the steaks, you will need a cast iron skillet (or heavy based frying pan). Place it over very high heat and let it preheat until it is very hot - the more daring you can be, the better the finished dish! Now, quickly drop each steak directly into the pan. Sear them quickly on each side - about 1 minute per side.
• (Do not be tempted to move the steaks other than to flip them as directed. Furthermore, flip your steaks with tongs rather than a fork, which will pierce them and allow juices to escape. ).
• Once seared, lower the heat and cook them. I like them "blue" which means they are seared and very rare. For medium rare give them 3 more minutes and for well done, 4 more minutes. You won't need to turn them.
• Either way 1 minute before the end of the cooking time, pour in the wine and let it bubble and reduce down to a syrupy consistency, about 1/3 of its original volume.
• This whole process is very brief, and I actually don't even bother setting a timer, I just count the minutes in my head. Once done, sprinkle with salt and serve as quickly as possible. This is best with a mixed green salad and a basic vinegaret dressing.