Why it works: Cream and butter are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 41,516 recipes. Both carry delta-dodecalactone, which smells sweet, creamy. The science ↓
Steak Au Poivre
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the steaks
Sprinkle steaks on both sides liberally with kosher salt.
Press peppercorns into both sides of each steak.
Let sit for 30 minutes or until room temperature.
Cook the steaks
Melt 1 tbsp butter with oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium high heat.
Add steaks and cook 5 minutes per side for medium rare, 6 for medium, and 7 for well done.
Remove from pan and keep warm.
Make the pan sauce
Raise heat in pan to high.
Turn off the heat, then deglaze pan with cognac.
Carefully ignite with a firestick or kitchen lighter, then swirl the pan until flames die.
Put heat to medium and whisk continuously to remove fond.
Bring to a boil and cook until liquid has reduced by half.
Whisk in cream.
Bring to a boil and cook until liquid has reduced to ⅓ cup.
Slowly whisk in butter, 1 tbsp at a time.
Spoon sauce over steaks and serve warm.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 6 of 7 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 100g cooked | 250 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Cognac | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Cream + buttertop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together41,516 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Beef + olivetop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,220 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-undecenal (sweet).
-
Butter + olivetop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,887 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Beef + buttertop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,847 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-furfurylthiol (coffee, roasted).
-
Cream + olivetop 25% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together4,206 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonanone (fruity, floral).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Beef tenderloin steaks
- Main protein; cooked to the chosen doneness, its tenderness depends on careful timing.
- Black peppercorns
- Cracked and pressed onto the surface to form a sharp, aromatic crust.
- Cognac
- Deglazes the pan and, once reduced, adds aromatic depth to the sauce.
- Heavy cream
- Adds richness and body, thickening the reduced pan sauce into a smooth coating.
- Unsalted butter
- Adds fat and silky texture, emulsified into the sauce for a glossy finish.
The step that matters
Igniting the cognac. Alcohol vapour can flare up when the pan is hot, so the pan must be off the heat before adding cognac and the flame should be handled carefully. Reducing the sauce to the stated volume concentrates flavour and thickens it.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
Roast Beef211 recipes
Beef Loaf175 recipes
Corned Beef87 recipes
Beef Broth67 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.