Julia Child Steak au Poivre Recipe

Julia Child Steak au Poivre (Pepper Steak) is beef crusted in crushed peppercorns and finished with a rich cognac sauce. This is classic French bistro cooking at its finest.

Julia shared her technique on page 296 of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and she had opinions. She wrote that steak au poivre “can be very good when it is not so buried in pepper and doused with flaming brandy that the flavor of the meat is utterly disguised.” In fact, she doesn’t flame the cognac at all. She boils it properly to cook off the alcohol and concentrate the flavor.

The first time I made this, I used way too much pepper. Lesson learned. Julia’s approach is more refined.

What is Steak au Poivre? Steak pressed with crushed peppercorns, pan-seared, and served with a cognac cream sauce. A French bistro classic.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Restaurant-quality at home. This is what you pay $45 for at a steakhouse.
• Quick but impressive. 10 minutes of actual cooking. The rest is resting.
• That sauce. Cognac, butter, shallots, beef juices. Absolute magic.
• Julia’s refined approach. Not too much pepper. No show-off flaming. Just great flavor.
• Works with any good steak. Ribeye, strip, filet, whatever you have.

Julia Child Steak au Poivre Ingredients

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1, Page 296. Serves 4-6.

For the Steak:

• 2 to 2½ lbs steak, ¾ to 1 inch thick
• 2 Tb peppercorns (mixed varieties or all white)
• Salt
• 1½ Tb butter + 1½ Tb oil for cooking

For the Sauce:

• 1 Tb butter
• 2 Tb minced shallots
• ½ cup beef stock
• ⅓ cup cognac
• 3-4 Tb softened butter (for finishing)

Steak options:

• Ribeye or strip: Great flavor, good marbling
• Filet/tenderloin: Most tender, leaner
• T-bone or porterhouse: Classic choice
• Sirloin: Budget-friendly option

How To Make Julia Child Steak au Poivre

Step 1: Prep the Pepper and Steak

1. Crush the peppercorns: Place in a bowl and crush roughly with a pestle or the bottom of a bottle. You want coarse pieces, not powder.
2. Dry the steak: Pat completely dry with paper towels.
3. Press in the pepper: Rub and press the crushed peppercorns into both sides of the steak using your fingers and palms.
4. Rest: Cover and let stand at least 30 minutes. Two to three hours is even better. The pepper flavor penetrates the meat.

Step 2: Cook the Steak

5. Heat the pan: Add butter and oil to a heavy skillet over moderately high heat. Wait until the butter foam subsides.
6. Sear the steak: Cook 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Look for a little pearling of red juice on the surface. Press with your finger: medium-rare feels like it’s just starting to resist.
7. Rest briefly: Transfer to a warm platter. Season with salt. Keep warm while making the sauce.

Step 3: Build the Sauce

8. Pour off fat: Discard the cooking fat from the skillet.
9. Cook shallots: Add 1 Tb butter. Stir in shallots and cook slowly for a minute.
10. Deglaze: Pour in stock and boil rapidly, scraping up all the browned bits.
11. Add cognac: Pour in cognac and boil for a minute or two to evaporate the alcohol. No flaming needed.
12. Finish with butter: Off heat, swirl in softened butter half a tablespoon at a time until glossy and rich.

Step 4: Serve

13. Pour and serve: Spoon sauce over steak. Garnish with watercress. Serve with sautéed potatoes.

Recipe Tips

• Crush, don’t grind: You want coarse pepper pieces, not powder. Use a pestle or bottle bottom.
• Rest the peppered steak: 30 minutes minimum, 2-3 hours ideal. The flavor penetrates deeper.
• Don’t overcrowd: Cook steaks one at a time if needed. Crowding steams instead of sears.
• No need to flame: Julia specifically avoided flaming. Boiling the cognac properly does the job without the show.
• Finger test for doneness: Medium-rare feels like slight resistance when pressed. Raw is soft. Well-done is firm.
• Finish butter off heat: Adding cold butter off heat creates a glossy, emulsified sauce.

Recipe Variations

With Cream: Add 2-3 Tb heavy cream after the cognac. Simmer briefly before finishing with butter. Richer, milder.

Green Peppercorn Version: Use brined green peppercorns instead of dried. Crack them lightly. Milder, slightly fruity heat.

Non-Alcoholic: Skip the cognac. Use extra stock with a splash of sherry vinegar. Different but still good.

What To Serve With Steak au Poivre

This needs classic French sides:

• Sautéed or fried potatoes (the traditional pairing)
• Garlic mashed potatoes
• Fresh watercress for garnish
• Green beans or peas with butter
• Baked or stuffed tomatoes

Wine: A young, full-bodied red. Côtes du Rhône, Bordeaux-St. Émilion, or a good Beaujolais.

Temperature Guide

Doneness	Finger Test	Internal Temp
Rare	Soft, no resistance	120-125°F
Medium-Rare	Slight resistance, springs back	130-135°F
Medium	Firm but springy	140-145°F
Well-Done	Firm throughout	150°F+

Julia’s method: watch for “pearling of red juice” at the surface for medium-rare.

Make-Ahead

This dish is best made a la minute, but you can prep ahead:

Crush the peppercorns and press them into the steaks up to 3 hours before cooking. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.

Have all sauce ingredients measured and ready. The final cooking and sauce-making takes under 15 minutes.

How To Store

• Refrigerator: Store leftover steak in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pepper crust holds up well. The sauce thickens but reheats fine.
• Reheat: Warm slices gently in the sauce over low heat. Or slice cold steak thin for steak sandwiches.
• Freezer: Not recommended. The texture suffers.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1/4 of recipe):

• Calories: 520 kcal
• Protein: 42g
• Total Fat: 36g
• Saturated Fat: 16g
• Carbohydrates: 3g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 0g
• Sodium: 380mg
• Cholesterol: 145mg

FAQs

Source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1 by Julia Child, Page 296

– Claire