Mean Chef's Steak Au Poivre

newspapergal's Note:

I adopted this recipe after its original poster, Mean Chef, departed the site. I have made this recipe a few times, without the sauce to cut calories, and I never would've thought steak made in the oven would be so delicious!!! Mean posted the recipe on Apr 3, 2003. (IHHDRO)

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 (6 -8 ounce) New York strip steaks or 4 sirloin steaks , 3/4 inch thick, patted dry
• salt
• 3 tablespoons coarsely ground black peppercorns or 1 mixture of various peppercorn
• olive oil , for the pan
• 1 cup red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir)
• 4 -6 tablespoons butter , sliced

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 500°F.
2. Sprinkle the steaks with salt on both sides, and then press the ground peppercorns into the steaks on both sides.
3. Set a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add just enough olive oil to make a light film.
4. When the oil is very hot, add the steaks, cooking until nicely browned on one side, about 3 minute.
5. (If the pan is small, work in batches.) Flip the meat over and put the skillet in the oven.
6. For medium-rare steaks, roast for 3 minutes for 6-ounce steaks; 4 minutes for 8-ounce steaks.
7. Check for doneness with the tip of a knife or by pressing with your fingertips, keeping in mind that the steaks will cook a bit more as they sit.
8. Transfer the steaks to a warm plate and tent with foil.
9. With a spoon, remove any fat from the skillet.
10. Put the skillet back on the burner and heat to medium high.
11. Add the wine and cook until it's reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7 minutes, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. REMOVE PAN FROM THE HEAT.
12. Whisk in the butter a slice at a time, whisking until completely melted.
13. Taste and adjust the seasonings, drizzle the sauce over the steaks, and serve immediately with more sauce on the side.
14. Variations: add shallots to the pan sauce, finish with chopped parsley.
15. substitute 4 tbl cognac and 1/2 cup dark stock in place of the wine.
16. substitute 1/4 cup cream and 1/4 cup cognac for the wine- reduce slightly to thicken.

Reviews

[Dookie007]

Dinner was fabulous tonight. I used NY strip & ribeye. Before adding the wine, which I used merlot, I added the butter to the pan first and I sautéd some sliced mushrooms and onion then I added the wine. Yummy for our tummy.

[Malriah]

Mean, another winner. This is very simple to prepare. Your directions are very detailed. The only problem I had was the steaks were undercooked for our tastes but it could be my oven not your recipe. I used the NY Strip and a peppercorn medeley. I had to use a Rose for the wine since it was all I had, but it turned out fabulous anyway. Thanks for posting this recipe!

[Bergy]

I cook a mean steak but Meanie's is meaner!!!! This steak was perfect in every way.The instructions are step by step and very easy to follow. I started off with a special aged Rib steaks (3/4" thick, 6 oz) from my favorite butcher. I used a mixture of several colored pepper corns coarsely ground.Seared it 31/2 minutes each side with the butter and sauted small button mushrooms along side, when I foil tented the steaks I put the mushrooms in with each one. Used cognac and dark gelled consumme. Served with Ovenstone fries, new parsleid, steamed carrots and bundles of lightly steamd local asparagus tied with a strands of chives. Put the sauce in small serving cups (eggcups) and we dipped our fries in it and drizzled it over the veggies. This meal was fit for a king Thanks Mean Chef - perfect steak