This Creamy Black Peppercorn Sauce Recipe is the perfect complement to a steak dinner. The easy 4-ingredient sauce is made in the same skillet as steaks in the time the steaks need to rest. If you’ve never tried making this sauce at home, you’re in for a treat! It’s the perfect date night idea.
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The Perfect Peppercorn Sauce to Serve with a Special Steak Dinner
A black peppercorn sauce is made with just 4 ingredients – sherry (or another sweet liquor), beef stock, heavy cream, and black peppercorns.
The sauce is cooked in the same skillet as your steaks – a lot of the flavor in the sauce comes from the seasoning on your meat!
It cooks in the amount of time steaks take to rest. So once your perfectly cooked filet mignon steaks are ready to plate, the sauce is ready to drizzle over the top.
After mastering the (simple) art of cooking steaks at home, I struggle to order them in a restaurant. The prices are so high, and I know I can create the same meal at home for my family for the cost of my meal at a steakhouse.
This is one of my favorite sauces. It’s indulgently creamy, a bit spicy, and has a subtle sweetness from the cream and sherry. Perfection served with a juicy steak!
Black peppercorn sauce is one of the classic French sauces. Steak au poivre is a peppercorn crusted steak served in a creamy sauce. Green peppercorns (unripe black peppercorns) are also used to make a less spicy green peppercorn sauce.
Steak Diane is another popular steak dish made with a creamy sauce. However, it has shallots and worcestershire sauce rather than peppercorns.
What You’ll Need
- Sherry, Brandy, or Marsala Wine
- Beef Broth (beef stock)
- Heavy Cream
- Whole Black Peppercorns (for the freshest pepper flavor!)
How to Make a Creamy Black Peppercorn Sauce for Steak
Prior to starting to make the peppercorn sauce, begin by cooking your steaks. The peppercorn steak sauce is made while the steaks are resting!
The sauce is made in the same skillet as the steaks – without washing it first! The browned bits and seasoning from the steaks adds to the depth of flavor in this sauce!
Read this The Best Way to Cook Filet Mignon post first – if you’d like to make thick pork chops or chicken breasts with creamy peppercorn sauce, the same cooking method can be used to cook the meat prior to making this sauce!
Step 1: In the same frying pan used to cook your steak, add the sherry. Heat the sherry over medium heat, allowing it to simmer and reduce by half. This should take about 5 minutes. The strong alcohol smell will dissipate as it cooks out of the sherry.
Step 2: Add the beef broth and allow the mixture to come back to a simmer. Allow it to simmer until reduced by half.
Step 3: Crush the whole peppercorns. This can be done with the peppercorns in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, or with a mortar and pestle. The peppercorns should retain a coarse texture.
Step 4: Add the heavy cream and peppercorns to the skillet. Bring it to a low simmer and test the consistency.
Tip: If the mixture doesn’t seem to be thickening well, add 2-3 tablespoons of additional cream. This happens if the beef broth isn’t fully reduced prior to adding the cream but is an easy problem to remedy.
Step 5: Continue to simmer until desired texture is reached. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Taste, and adjust the salt if necessary.
Step 6: Serve the peppercorn sauce hot alongside the steaks or spooned over the tops of steaks.
How to Store Leftover Black Peppercorn Sauce
Once it has fully cooled, store leftover black peppercorn sauce in an airtight container. Refrigerate the sauce for up to 5 days.
To reheat the sauce, bring it to a simmer in a skillet and then serve hot.
How to Use Creamy Black Peppercorn Sauce
Black Peppercorn Sauce for Steak: This black peppercorn sauce is the perfect complement to a steak. Serve it with filet mignon, NY Strip Steak, or even tri tip and skirt steak. Also try it along with a Beef Tenderloin Roast or Garlic Butter Prime Rib.
Creamy Black Peppercorn Chicken: This sauce is amazing with simple seared chicken breasts. Preheat oven to 400º F. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and cook them in a skillet with butter and avocado oil. Once both sides of the chicken are browned, place the oven-safe skillet in the oven. Cook the chicken until the internal temperature is 165º F. Allow the chicken to rest while preparing this sauce in the same skillet.
Black Peppercorn Sauce Pork Chops: Use this pan seared pork chop recipe, and then make the creamy black pepper sauce in the same skillet to serve with the meat.
Other Steak Sauces
- Authentic Chimichurri Sauce
- Mojo Verde
- Soy Free Teriyaki Sauce
- Honey BBQ Sauce
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Creamy Black Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sherry brandy or marsala wine work as substitutions
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In the same skillet used to cook your steak, add the sherry. Heat the sherry over medium heat, allowing it to simmer and reduce by half. This should take about 5 minutes. The strong alcohol smell will dissipate as it cooks out of the sherry.
- Add the beef broth and allow the mixture to come back to a simmer. Allow it to simmer until reduced by half.
- Crush the peppercorns. This can be done with the peppercorns in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, or with a mortar and pestle. The peppercorns should retain a coarse texture.
- Add the heavy cream and peppercorns to the skillet. Bring it to a low simmer and test the consistency.
- Continue to simmer until desired texture is reached. Taste, and adjust the salt if necessary.Tip: If the mixture doesn’t seem to be thickening well, add 2-3 tablespoons of additional cream. This happens if the beef broth isn’t fully reduced prior to adding the cream but is an easy problem to remedy.
- Serve the peppercorn sauce hot alongside the steaks or spooned over the tops of steaks.
The BEST sauce to serve with steak!