French: Steak au Poivre (Pepper Sauce)

Recipe by Paul Young <info@cooking-with-paul.com>

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

Procedure:

  1. Tenderize the steak: allow steaks to reach room temperature (about 30 minutes); sprinkle coarse Kosher salt on both sides and allow to rest undisturbed for 30 minutes; then rinse off salt
  2. Preheat oven to 500 F
  3. Spray cast-iron skillet with coconut oil
  4. Wrap each steak with one slice of bacon
  5. Using a pepper mill, coarsely grind peppercorns onto a plate
  6. Press one side of each steak into the cracked pepper to encrust it in an even layer
  7. Transfer steaks to skillet with the pepper-coated side facing down
  8. Bake until desired internal temperature is reached*
  9. Optional: saute mushrooms in butter until soft, add splash of red wine and set aside
  10. When the steaks are ready, remove skillet from oven and place on a stove-top burner; flip the steaks and turn flame on high
  11. Flambe the steaks with cognac (optional)
  12. Transfer steak to warm serving plates and allow to rest for a few minutes (optional: cover loosely with aluminum foil)
  13. Make the sauce: in the same skillet, add butter, shallots, garlic and saute briefly (about 1 minute); add the beef broth, thyme, mustard, and sauteed mushrooms (optional); cook over medium heat until sauce is reduced slightly
  14. Turn off flame, stir in half-and-half and whisk to combine
  15. To serve: pour sauce over steaks and garnish with fresh thyme

*Letting beef rest for a few minutes before serving will yield juicier meat, but the internal temperature will rise by about five more degrees. These are the suggested temperatures before letting the beef rest: