Creamy Peppercorn Sauce Recipe For Steak and Beef (2024)

FAQs

What is creamy peppercorn sauce made of? ›

A classic steak sauce made with black peppercorns, cream and brandy for a lovely, rich sauce that's just right for a date night or a special occasion.

If you would like an even thicker sauce, mix 2 teaspoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and add to sauce, whisking continuously. Cook for 1 minute more. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Taste and add season with more kosher salt and crushed black pepper as needed.

Brandy is the classic flavour for peppercorn sauce but you can easily substitute another spirit. Readers have used both whiskey and vermouth with success.

A: The main difference between pepper sauce and peppercorn sauce lies in their key ingredients. Pepper sauce is crafted from chili peppers whereas peppercorn sauce is made from peppercorns specifically black, green, or other varieties.

Can be made ahead and kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, add 1-2 tbsp stock or cream to peppercorn sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Add more liquid

If it is half-broken, add half as much again as the amount of oil that was used to break it in the first place. If it is completely broken, add equal volumes of oil and liquid. Start with a little bit and keep adding until the sauce comes back together into an emulsion. This may take a few iterations.

Bearnaise Sauce

Bearnaise has the addition of peppercorns, tarragon and a jazzed up vinegar reduction. In a small saucepan, combine wine, vinegar, 2 sprigs tarragon, shallot and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced to about 2 Tbsp liquid, about 20 minutes.

Sugar is a perhaps surprisingly common ingredient in hot sauces, added for flavor and to balance the heat.

Black pepper, with piperine as an active ingredient, holds rich phytochemistry that also includes volatile oil, oleoresins, and alkaloids.

How do I make my sauce thicker and creamier? ›

The most readily available sauce-thickener is flour. For a too-thin sauce, try adding a slurry (equal parts flour and water, whisked together) or beurre manie (equal parts softened butter and flour, kneaded together to form a paste)—both are ideal thickeners for rich and creamy sauces, such as steak sauce recipes.

You can make a cream sauce thicker by reducing it on the stovetop. If reducing the sauce doesn't work, or if you're in a rush, you can use a thickener to bulk up your sauce. Flour, butter, eggs, and cornstarch are simple ingredients that can make your cream sauce thicker.

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

Black peppercorns, which are the most common, are picked before the berry is just ripe. They therefore have the strongest flavour of the peppercorn varieties – slightly hot with a tiny bit of sweetness. White peppercorns are a lot less strong and pungent than black peppercorns.

Black peppercorns have a distinct spiciness. Unlike chile peppers that get their heat from capsaicin, peppercorns get their spiciness from a derivative called peperine. Peperine stimulates your taste buds, therefore enhancing the flavors of food.

The alcohol brings incredible depth of flavour to the sauce, it's the secret ingredient. Classic creamy peppercorn sauce is made cognac or brandy, but I've made this plenty of times with marsala too.