A Glug of Oil

Easy and delicious recipes including midweek dinner ideas, English and world cuisine.

Peppercorn Sauce Recipe

Easy Peppercorn Sauce for Steak

This recipe is easy to make and will be your go-to sauce for steak or chicken.

You can also pour it over portobello mushrooms or just dip chips into it. 😋

Steak with peppercorn sauce.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

A classic steak sauce is made with black peppercorns, cream and brandy and makes a rich and delicious sauce that's perfect for a date night or a special occasion.

Can you make peppercorn sauce without alcohol?

Yes, brandy adds a nice kick to the sauce but it isn't vital, but you can leave it out.

I just happen to have a bottle in the cupboard but there's certainly no need to go out and buy a bottle just to use 3 tablespoons!

Ingredients

  • 10g unsalted butter
  • 3 shallots - peeled and very finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons brandy
  • 1½ tablespoons of whole black peppercorns - crushed with a pestle and mortar
  • 1 x Knorr Rich Beef stock pot - the one with onion and thyme dissolved in 300ml of hot water (although you will only need 200ml for the recipe) the dilution in 300ml is just to get the taste right.
  • 80ml double cream (heavy)

No flour or cornstarch is needed as it thickens nicely by itself after a little simmering.

Ingredients for peppercorn sauce.

It's important to crush the peppercorns in a pestle and mortar or put them in a zip-lock bag and use something bashable to crush them otherwise someone will take a tooth out!

Peppercorns in a pestle and mortar.

How to make peppercorn sauce

Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the shallots. Cook whilst stirring over medium heat until soft but not coloured.

Shallots and butter in a frying pan.

Now add the peppercorns and the brandy, and turn the heat up. 

Technically you're supposed to set fire to the brandy in order to remove the alcohol - but I'm not performing that trick in my ever so tiny kitchen thank you very much! 🔥 😱

Brandy and peppercorns in a frying pan.

Cook until the liquid has almost gone - about 3 minutes.

Brandy has now reduced down to almost nothing.

Add 200ml of the stock, and keep the heat on medium-high.

Stock added to the pan.

Cook until the stock has reduced by two-thirds.

The stock has now reduced.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool before stirring in the cream - this is to stop the sauce from curdling.

Peppercorn sauce in a frying pan.

Cook for a couple of minutes or so until the sauce has thickened, darkened and is heated through.

Peppercorn sauce in a bowl.

Serve poured over steak or on the side.

Steak and chips with peppercorn sauce.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes, you can but you must allow the sauce to cool completely. Once cool, store it in a suitable airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheat over a low heat, stirring until piping hot.

Another recipe you might is blue cheese sauce for steak.  

Recipe Top Tips!

Shallots 

You can also use finely chopped red onions.

Brandy 

You can use any brandy, cognac or marsala, but if you don't want to use alcohol, then you can leave it out.

Peppercorns

I like a lot of peppercorns in my sauce but if you don't like the strong taste you can use green peppercorns instead as they are milder than black peppercorns.

Stock 

I used a rich beef stock but any good stock will do as long as it's strong.

Cream 

Always use double (heavy) cream rather than single (light) cream otherwise your sauce will split and won't taste half as good.

Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!

simple peppercorn sauce recipe, easy peppercorn sauce for steak, how to make black peppercorn sauce,
sauce,
French
Yield: 4
Author: Jan Bennett
Easy Peppercorn Sauce Recipe

Easy Peppercorn Sauce Recipe

The perfect sauce for steak, although you could also pour it over pan-fried chicken, or just dip chips into it!
Prep time: 3 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 13 Min

Ingredients

  • 10g unsalted butter
  • 3 shallots - peeled and very finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons brandy
  • 1½ tablespoons of whole black peppercorns - crushed with a pestle and mortar
  • 1 x Knorr Rich Beef stock pot - with onion and thyme dissolved in 300 ml of hot water (you will only need 200ml)
  • 80ml double cream (heavy)

Instructions

  1. Crush the peppercorns in a pestle and mortar or in a zip-lock plastic bag and bash them!
  2. Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the shallots. Cook whilst stirring over a medium heat until soft but not coloured.
  3. Now add the peppercorns and the brandy, turn the heat up and cook until the liquid has almost gone - about 3 minutes.
  4. Add 200ml of the stock, keep the heat on medium-high, and cook until the stock has reduced by two-thirds.
  5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before stirring in the cream - this is to stop it from curdling.
  6. Cook for a couple of minutes or so until the sauce has thickened and darkened, and is heated through. Serve poured over steak or on the side.
Did you make this recipe?
@aglugofoil #aglugofoil

No comments

Post a Comment

I love to hear from everyone so thanks for taking the time to comment. Please note comments containing links will NOT be published.

Cheers
Jan