Strip Steaks with Creamy Peppercorn Pan Sauce

Name: Strip Steaks with Creamy Peppercorn Pan Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French, American
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Black Peppercorns; 0.33 cup Cognac; 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme; 1 cup Heavy Cream; 4 cloves Minced Garlic; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 0.5 tsp Sea Salt; 0.25 cup Shallot; 2 lb Steak; 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪 French 🇫🇷American High-Protein 💪Low-Carb Sugar-Free Diabetic-Friendly Gluten-Free Carnivore 🥩Comfort-Food Anabolic Diet

Strip Steaks with Creamy Peppercorn Pan Sauce balances a rich, velvety cream base with the bold bite of crushed peppercorns and a hint of cognac. Shallots, garlic, and thyme round out the flavor for a steakhouse-style finish that’s perfect for date night or a special weeknight dinner. Serve with potatoes or crisp greens to soak up every drop.

Prep25 mins
Cook15 mins
Serves4
DifficultyMedium

1

Assemble all the ingredients.
2

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, then season both sides with sea salt.
3

Set whole peppercorns on a wooden cutting board and crack them using an iron skillet or a heavy pan. Lightly pound the peppercorns, then rub them in a circular motion over the board until the pieces are fairly uniform and coarser than ground black pepper. Press the cracked pepper onto both sides of the steaks; let them stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
4

Heat butter and olive oil in a 10-inch iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter stops sizzling and the oil is hot, lower the heat to medium and carefully lay the steaks in the hot oil. Cook about 3 minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted near the center reads 120 degrees F (50 degrees C) for medium-rare.
5

Transfer the steaks from the pan and tent them with aluminum foil to keep warm. In the same skillet over medium-low heat, add the minced shallots and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme sprigs; cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
6

Take the pan off the heat and slowly, carefully pour in the cognac (adding cognac over heat or too quickly could make it ignite). Return the pan to the burner and stir to combine. Cook until the liquid evaporates.
7

Stir in the cream and continue cooking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
8

For serving, spread the sauce on a serving platter. Slice the steaks thinly on the diagonal and place them on top of the sauce. Garnish with additional thyme sprigs, if desired.