Step-by-step Steak Au Poivre

I love dining out: the elegant surroundings, courteous servers and of course, no dish duty. The thing is it’s cold — really cold! — here in Ohio and the thought of venturing out into the frigid, dark night on Valentine’s Day has me shivering in my wool sweater. So I thought this year we could try something different. Let’s stay in, stay warm and dine in the comfort of home. “Will it be special enough for my Valentine?” Yes, I think so. If I can find the right recipe for a knock-his-socks off homemade feast.

Steak Au Poivre seems to be a winner for dinner but a test run is in order. Follow along as I make it. Practice makes perfect, you know! Click for Steak Au Poivre recipe.

Step 1: Gather ingredients. It’s a lot easier to prep before you start cooking than it is to hit pause later in the process. I learned this the hard way while making a particularly disastrous pan of gravy, but that’s another story. For this recipe I diced the shallot, cut the butter and pre-measured wet and dry ingredients before heating the pan.

Step 2: Heat oil and a tablespoon of butter in a pan over medium high heat (I used a cast iron skillet). Crack peppercorns with the back of a skillet (or use pre-crushed peppercorns). Cut the 16-oz. strip steak in half. Press cracked pepper firmly into both sides of each steak and then season with salt. When butter begins to foam, place steaks in the pan and press down firmly so they get a nice brown crust. Lower the heat to medium and sear 5 minutes on each side. Be sure they’re cooked to perfection and double check degrees of doneness with a meat thermometer.

Transfer cooked steaks to a clean plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Step 3: Add shallots to the pan. Lift the pan away from the stove to add the brandy (no need to lose your eyebrows), then return the skillet to the stove and medium-high heat.

Step 4: Cook a minute until the brandy thickens. Add the beef stock and bring the sauce back to a boil. Simmer until thickened to a sauce consistency. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, sour cream and cold butter. Add more salt if needed and remove from heat.

Step 4: Spoon the sauce onto plates (use your best China for Valentine’s Day!). Place your juicy, peppery steak on top. Serve with a few of your favorite sides. I’m thinking maybe creamy garlic mashed potatoes and several asparagus spears. I’ll have champagne chilling, too! Enjoy.

Celebrate love at first bite with us as we journey to an exquisitely tasty Valentine’s Day! Step inside the best restaurants in the country. Sharpen your chef knife and prepare an amazing meal at home. We’ll show you how. Whether your sweetheart prefers fine dining or homemade extravagance, you can make it a Valentine’s Day to remember with these cooking tips and dining suggestions.