Peppercorn Cream Sauce
A steakhouse-style cream sauce made with cracked peppercorns, shallot, brandy, beef stock, Dijon and cream. Rich, savory and boldly peppery.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1 small whole Shallot, very finely minced
- 1 tbsp tbsp Whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
- 1/4 cup cup Brandy or cognac
- 3/4 cup cup Low-sodium beef stock
- 3/4 cup cup Heavy cream
- 1 tsp tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp tbsp Cold unsalted butter
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallot. Cook approximately 2 minutes until softened.
- Add crushed peppercorns. Cook approximately 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Remove the skillet from any open flame before adding the brandy or cognac. Carefully add brandy. Return to the heat.
- Simmer until the brandy has reduced substantially, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add beef stock. Simmer approximately 3-5 minutes until reduced by roughly half.
- Add heavy cream. Stir in Dijon and Worcestershire.
- Reduce heat and simmer gently approximately 3-5 minutes until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from direct heat. Whisk in the final tablespoon of cold butter. Taste before adding additional salt. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Chef's Notes
Pair with steak, filet mignon, pork chops, roasted beef or mashed potatoes. Yield: About 1 1/2 cups. Coarsely crush the peppercorns rather than grinding them into powder. This creates the characteristic peppercorn flavor without making the entire sauce harsh. If preparing this after cooking steak, make the sauce in the same skillet and incorporate the browned fond. ALCOHOL SAFETY: Never pour brandy directly from the bottle into a skillet positioned over an open flame. Remove the skillet from the flame first. Storage: Best served fresh. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat without boiling.