Steak Frites au Poivre

Steak Frites au Poivre is pretty much my dream meal. There’s something so chic about a plate of perfectly cooked steak and crispy French fries that makes me feel like I’m sitting at a little café in Paris, even when I’m just at home. It’s the kind of meal I’d happily order at a restaurant every single time, so naturally, I had to figure out how to make it myself.

I’ve been perfecting this recipe for a while now, and I think I’ve finally got it exactly where I want it. We’ve got juicy, buttery New York strip steak, sliced and served with thin, crispy homemade fries and a rich, creamy peppercorn sauce made with cognac, beef stock, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. It’s comforting, a little indulgent, and surprisingly easy to pull off in your own kitchen.

This recipe serves two perfectly, which makes it such a good option for date night at home. You get that whole restaurant-style experience without having to leave the house, and honestly, I think that’s the best part.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Restaurant-style at home: Steak frites is one of those meals that feels like something you’d order at a nice French bistro, but you can make the whole thing right in your own kitchen.
• The peppercorn sauce: Rich, creamy, and full of flavour from the cognac, beef stock, and freshly cracked black pepper. You’ll want to dip every last fry into it.
• You’ll impress yourself: Between the perfectly seared steak, crispy homemade fries, and that gorgeous sauce, it’s hard not to feel a little proud when you put this plate together.
• Perfect for date night: This recipe makes two generous servings, so it’s ideal for a dinner for two without having to scale anything down.

Ingredients

Prep Steps

• Remove the steak from the fridge, pat very dry, and season generously with kosher salt.
• Peel the potatoes and slice into very thin, matchstick-sized strips. Place in a bowl of ice water to soak right away.
• Peel and halve the shallot.
• Smash the garlic cloves, leaving the skins on.
• Rinse and pat dry the fresh thyme sprigs.
• Rinse and finely chop the chives.
• Coarsely grind the black pepper, preferably using a mortar and pestle for the best texture, or just fresh from a grinder.

How to Make It

Step One:

Remove the steak from the fridge and pat dry.

Step Two:

Place the cut potatoes in a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes to remove excess starch. Drain and dry extremely well with clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Any excess moisture will prevent the fries from getting crispy—even when you think they’re dry, try dabbing with another towel/paper towel.

Step Three:

Heat about 2 inches of neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 325°F. Working in batches, fry the potatoes until lightly golden but not fully crisp. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Set aside while you prepare the steak and sauce. We’ll fry them again right before serving. Turn off the heat under the oil for now.

Step Four:

Heat a cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry once more and season generously on all sides with kosher salt. Add a little neutral oil to the skillet, then add the steak. Sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, then flip.

Step Five:

After another minute, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, garlic, shallot, and thyme. Tilt the skillet slightly and continuously spoon the melted butter over the steak, making sure to sear the edges as well.

Step Six:

Continue basting until the steak reaches an internal temperature of about 125°F. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest, allowing the temperature to rise toward medium-rare. Slice thinly against the grain just before serving.

Adjust the cooking temperature to your preferred level of doneness.

Step Seven:

Remove the aromatics and drain off the excess butter, leaving the browned bits in the skillet. Take the skillet off the heat and carefully add the brandy or cognac. Return to medium heat and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits.

Step Eight:

Add the beef stock or beef bouillon concentrate and continue simmering until reduced by half. Stir in the coarsely ground black pepper and cook for about 1 minute, then pour in the heavy cream. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened. Finish with a dash of Worcestershire sauce, then remove from the heat and stir in a tablespoon of butter until melted and smooth.

Step Nine:

Reheat the frying oil to 350-375°F. Fry the potatoes again in batches until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and immediately season with kosher salt. If needed, keep warm in a 350°F oven until serving, keeping an eye on them so they don’t get too dark.

Step Ten:

To serve, I like adding the fries first, then spreading the peppercorn sauce directly onto the plate and laying the sliced steak right over top. Finish with chopped chives, flaky salt, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Serve any extra peppercorn sauce on the side for dipping.

Substitutions You Can Try

New York strip steak: Ribeye or filet mignon would both work beautifully here. Just keep in mind that cooking times will vary depending on the cut and thickness of your steak.

Russet potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are a great alternative, although they tend to produce slightly creamier fries rather than super crispy ones. You can also use frozen shoestring fries to save some time!

Brandy or cognac: Either works beautifully in the peppercorn sauce. Gautier or Rémy Martin are a good place to start if you haven’t cooked with cogac before. If you’d prefer to skip the alcohol, substitute with additional beef stock. The flavour won’t be quite as complex, but it’ll still be delicious.

Beef bouillon concentrate/stock: I love using beef bouillon concentrate for a really rich, savoury sauce, but you can substitute ¼ cup of beef stock instead. Just let it reduce by half before adding the peppercorns and cream. Chicken stock or concentrate work too.

Heavy cream: You can use half-and-half or light cream for a slightly lighter sauce, but it won’t thicken quite as much. Keep the heat low to prevent it from separating.

Black pepper: Traditionally, steak au poivre is made with crushed peppercorns. I like using freshly cracked black peppercorns, but a mix of black, green, white, and even pink peppercorns would also be delicious.

Worcestershire sauce: This adds a little extra savoury depth to the peppercorn sauce, but you can leave it out if you don’t have any. A small splash of soy sauce also works,

Fresh thyme: Fresh rosemary is a great alternative for basting the steak, or you can use a combination of both.

Make it Dairy-Free: Baste the steak with olive oil instead of butter, reducing the heat a bit if it starts to smoke. Serve with a different sauce like chimichurri or your favourite steak sauce.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I recommend storing the chicken and pastina separately, if possible, to help preserve the crispy skin. Keep in mind that the pastina will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so it will thicken a bit.

Reheat the pastina gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of chicken stock or cream to loosen it up. For the chicken, I recommend reheating in the oven or air fryer to help crisp the skin back up.

Steak frites is truly my ultimate comfort meal, and the peppercorn sauce just takes it over the top!

If you make this recipe, tag me (@britacooks)on Instagram or TikTok, I’d love to see your recreations. It also means so much when you leave a review in the comments below!

You can save this recipe for later on Pinterest, or head over to my YouTube channel to cook along with me while I walk through the whole recipe. And while you’re there, you’ll find plenty more recipes to try next!

@britacooks

Mains

Steak Frites au Poivre

Perfectly seared strip steak with crispy hand-cut fries, served over a decadent peppercorn sauce.

Prep Time :10 minutes mins

Cook Time :55 minutes mins

Makes: 2 servings

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Ingredients

For the Steak:

• 1 boneless NY strip steak about 14-16 oz
• Kosher salt
• 1-2 tbsp neutral oil for searing
• 5 cloves garlic smashed with skin still on
• 1 shallot peeled and halved
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter

For the Fries:

• 3 russet potatoes peeled and sliced into thin strips like matchsticks
• Neutral oil for frying
• Kosher salt

For the Peppercorn Sauce:

• ⅓ cup brandy or cognac
• ¼ cup beef stock (or 1 tbsp beef bouillon concentrate)
• 1-2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper adjusted to taste
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce

For Serving:

• Fresh chives finely chopped
• Flaky salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. Remove the steak from the fridge and pat dry.
2. Place the cut potatoes in a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes to remove excess starch. Drain and dry extremely well with clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Any excess moisture will prevent the fries from getting crispy—even when you think they’re dry, try dabbing with another towel/paper towel.
3. Heat about 2 inches of neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 325°F. Working in batches, fry the potatoes until lightly golden but not fully crisp. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Set aside while you prepare the steak and sauce. We’ll fry them again right before serving. Turn off the heat under the oil for now.
4. Heat a cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry once more and season generously on all sides with kosher salt. Add a little neutral oil to the skillet, then add the steak. Sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, then flip.
5. After another minute, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, garlic, shallot, and thyme. Tilt the skillet slightly and continuously spoon the melted butter over the steak, making sure to sear the edges as well.
6. Continue basting until the steak reaches an internal temperature of about 125°F. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest, allowing the temperature to rise toward medium-rare. Slice thinly against the grain just before serving. Adjust the cooking temperature to your preferred level of doneness.
7. Remove the aromatics and drain off the excess butter, leaving the browned bits in the skillet. Take the skillet off the heat and carefully add the brandy or cognac. Return to medium heat and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits.
8. Add the beef stock or beef bouillon concentrate and continue simmering until reduced by half. Stir in the coarsely ground black pepper and cook for about 1 minute, then pour in the heavy cream. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened. Finish with a dash of Worcestershire sauce, then remove from the heat and stir in a tablespoon of butter until melted and smooth.
9. Reheat the frying oil to 350-375°F. Fry the potatoes again in batches until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and immediately season with kosher salt. If needed, keep warm in a 350°F oven until serving, keeping an eye on them so they don’t get too dark.
10. To serve, I like adding the fries first, then spreading the peppercorn sauce directly onto the plate and laying the sliced steak right over top. Finish with chopped chives, flaky salt, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Serve any extra peppercorn sauce on the side for dipping.

Did you make this recipe?

Please tag me on socials!

@britacooks

I’d love to see your recreations!