SOUS VIDE STEAK AU POIVRE

Last year we hosted a French Friendsgiving and it was one of the highlights of the holidays. My friend, Caitlin Blaylock, prepared the main course and so kindly shared her recipe. You absolute must try her method of preparing steak - it’s the best.

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Pronounced steak “oh-pwahv” if your are feeling fancy or “pepper steak” if you aren’t-this is my favorite way to elevate a simple ribeye steak. While I used a sous vide to cook my steak and only pan seared at the end to get a good crust, you can achieve great results just using a cast iron skillet the whole time. However, I love the precision, tenderness and consistency a sous vide allows me to have with more expensive cuts of meat like steak, ensuring I don’t accidentally overcook my steak.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ribeye steaks, about 1 1/2 inches thick

• Sea salt 

• Black peppercorns in grinder

• 4 T butter

• 1/2 c brandy/cognac

• 1 C heavy cream

PREPARATION

1. Cook steak in sous vide*: lightly season steaks on both sides with salt and some pepper. Vacuum seal and place in sous vide at your desired temperature for approximately 2 hours. 

2. Sear steaks: Once cooked, remove steaks and cover both sides with more cracked peppercorn and salt. Heat cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add in 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add steaks and sear for about two minutes on each side, or until there is a good crust. Remove steaks to a plate, cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest while you make the sauce.

3. Make Sauce: Remove the cast iron skillet from the heat and add the brandy to the pan drippings, stirring to mix with the browned bits left in the pan. Add in cream and stir to combine. Return the skillet to the heat and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally. Then reduce heat to simmer the sauce until it is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, season with salt and pour over steaks to serve.  

*For an excellent introduction to cooking steak using a sous vide I recommend this website: https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/06/food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-steak.html

| Credits: Author - Caitlin Blaylock; Photography - Jacintha Payne |