Steak au Poivre with Chipotle — Credit:
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Servings:

Chopped chipotle chiles amplify the sauce’s peppery flavor while adding gentle heat and depth.
Searing the steaks in a hot cast-iron skillet before finishing them in the oven creates a deeply browned crust while the interior stays juicy and tender.
The velvety chipotle cream sauce is balanced by sherry vinegar, which cuts through the richness of the beef and heavy cream.

Inspired by the classic French bistro dish steak au poivre, F&W 2021 Best New Chef Fermín Núñez adds a Mexican flair with the addition of smoky mezcal and chipotle chiles. The subtle heat pairs with the creamy peppercorn sauce for a rich, balanced finish that complements the spice-crusted rib eyes. Let the steaks sit at room temperature before searing to ensure a deep golden-brown exterior and juicy, rosy center.

How to get the best crust on the steaks

There are a few tricks that ensure your steaks form a deep golden brown crust. First, it’s important to pat the outside of the steaks dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Next, let the steaks stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes to 1 hour so the center of the steak can temper slightly for even cooking. Lastly, preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until it just starts to smoke before adding the steaks.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Mezcal can be substituted with tequila for a slightly less smoky flavor.
Use a coarse grind on the peppercorns for a textured spice crust on the steaks.
For the best sear on the steaks, be sure to preheat the cast iron skillet until it just begins to smoke.

Suggested pairing

Pair Núñez’s luscious, Mexican-influenced au poivre with a juicy, peppery, full-bodied Zinfandel, such as Once & Future Old Vine Sonoma County.

This recipe was developed by Fermín Núñez; the text was written by Paige Grandjean.

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Ingredients

2 (1-pound) thick-cut boneless rib eye steaks (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper, divided
4 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
3 chipotle chiles, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1/4 cup (2 ounces) mezcal or tequila
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 cup beef stock
2 cups heavy cream
Cilantro leaves or microgreens, for garnish

Directions

Let steaks stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F during final 20 minutes of standing. Place an oven-safe wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
Sprinkle steaks with 2 tablespoons black pepper and 4 teaspoons salt. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Place steaks in skillet; cook, turning once, until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer steaks to prepared rack. (Do not clean skillet.) Transfer steaks to oven; bake until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of steak registers 125°F for medium-rare, about 12 minutes, or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from oven; let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat skillet with steak drippings over medium-low. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add chiles and remaining 2 tablespoons black pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add mezcal. Increase heat to medium; cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is completely reduced, about 15 seconds. Stir in vinegar; cook, stirring often, until liquid is almost completely reduced, about 30 seconds. Add beef stock, and bring to a simmer over medium; cook, stirring often, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add cream, and return to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Slice steak against the grain. Divide sauce evenly among 4 rimmed plates; top with sliced steak. Garnish with cilantro.

“The inspiration came from wanting to make one of my, and many people’s, favorite dishes, filet au poivre. Since we’re a Mexican restaurant, I knew I had to find a way to give it a Mexican perspective, and dried chipotles made perfect sense. They play really well with the pepper notes you’d expect from a traditional au poivre.” - Chef Fermín Núñez