Description
Peppercorn White Sauce for Steak brings restaurant style flavor to your home kitchen with a silky cream base and freshly crushed peppercorns. This easy sauce turns pan drippings into a rich topping that complements New York Strip or your favorite steak cut. Using low sodium beef broth and a grape juice plus white vinegar deglaze provides the tang and depth without any spirits making the sauce approachable and reliable for weeknight meals.
Ingredients
2 New York Strip steaks
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup grape juice mixed with 1 teaspoon white vinegar
3/4 cup low sodium beef broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 to 3 teaspoons coarsely crushed black peppercorns or drained green peppercorns
Optional sides: crispy smashed potatoes and garlic spinach
Instructions
1.
2. Take the steaks out of the refrigerator twenty minutes before cooking so they come to room temperature
3. Crush the peppercorns using a rolling pin, mortar and pestle, or the side of a sturdy knife
4. Pat steaks dry and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper
5. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke lightly
6. Add steaks and sear undisturbed for two minutes on the first side then flip and sear two minutes for medium rare
7. Use tongs to press the fat strip against the pan to crisp it, then transfer steaks to a plate and cover loosely with foil to rest
8. Pour the grape juice and white vinegar mixture into the same skillet and simmer while scraping the browned bits from the pan
9. Add low sodium beef broth and simmer until reduced by about half
10. Turn heat to medium and add heavy cream and crushed peppercorns then simmer gently until the sauce thickens without boiling rapidly
11. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt or extra pepper as desired
12. Spoon the sauce over the rested steaks and serve immediately with preferred sides
13.
Notes
Use low sodium beef broth because the sauce reduces and concentrates flavor, otherwise the sauce may become too salty
If you grill the steaks, melt butter in a skillet and sauté finely chopped shallots before adding the grape juice mixture to capture similar flavor from pan drippings
To soften the pepper character, substitute half the black peppercorns with green peppercorns which have a milder profile
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for two to three days and reheat gently over low heat adding a splash of broth if needed to restore consistency
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet sear
- Cuisine: American