Recipe video above. One of the best steak sauces in this world! It's super simple because it's made using the steak drippings and either brandy or cognac. The alcoholic taste is cooked out and you're left with an amazing sweet/savoury/creamy sauce with great depth of flavour and beautiful pops of heat from the peppercorns. Use crushed black peppercorns for spicier or canned green peppercorns for more mild heat.
Less
Ingredients
2 x 300g/10oz New York Strip / Porterhouse steaks (or other of choice, Note 1)
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
SAUCE:
1/3 cup / 85 ml brandy or cognac (or marsala) (Note 2)
3/4 cup / 185 ml beef broth , low sodium (important! Note 3)
1/2 cup / 125 ml heavy / thickened cream
2 - 3 tsp coarsely crushed whole black peppercorns (or canned green peppercorns, drained) (Note 4)
Instructions
Take the steaks out of the fridge 20 minutes before planning to cook.
Crush the pepper using a rolling pin, mortar and pestle or the side of a hardy knife.
STEAKS:
Just before cooking, sprinkle both sides of steak generously with salt and black pepper.
Heat oil in a skillet over high heat until smoking.
Add steaks and cook the first side for 2 minutes until it has a great crust, then flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes (for medium rare).
Stack the steaks on top of each other, then use tongs to sear the fat strip.
Transfer to plate, cover loosely with foil to rest while you make the sauce.
SAUCE:
Add brandy or cognac into the same skillet and let it simmer rapidly, scraping the bottom of the pan, until it has mostly reduced and you can no longer smell the harsh alcohol smell (~1 min).
Add broth, bring to simmer and let it simmer rapidly for 2 to 3 minutes or until it reduces by half.
