Here’s a simple and classic peppercorn sauce recipe that’s perfect for steak, chicken, or even roasted vegetables.
Ingredients (serves 2-4)
- 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns (crushed)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup beef or chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Crush the peppercorns
- Use a mortar and pestle, rolling pin, or spice grinder to crush the peppercorns coarsely.
- Sauté aromatics (optional)
- In a pan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add chopped shallots and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan
- Pour in the stock and stir, scraping any browned bits from the pan.
- Let it reduce by half (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add cream and peppercorns
- Stir in heavy cream and crushed peppercorns.
- Simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3-5 minutes.
- Finish
- Stir in Dijon mustard if using, and season with salt to taste.
- Serve hot over steak, chicken, or roasted veggies.
✅ Tips:
- For a smoother sauce, strain out the peppercorns before serving.
- You can substitute brandy, cognac, or whisky for part of the stock for extra flavor.
- Adjust cream to make it richer or lighter.
If you want, I can also give a super quick 5-minute version that uses just cream, pepper, and butter—perfect if you’re short on time. Do you want me to do that?
