Peppercorn Sauce

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

I made this recipe today and it was a disappointment. It is nowhere near thick enough or peppery enough for our tastes. It didn’t have much flavor at all really. We used a mix of pink and green peppercorns. Generally, my research has yielded a lot of similar recipes across the web so clearly my expectations for peppercorn sauce is maybe a bit different than typical.

https://www.seriouseats.com/sauced-green-peppercorn-pan-sauce-recipe

So, what is your best peppercorn sauce/gravy recipe? Ideal for serving with prime rib or steak on occasion.

[58limited]

I would crack the peppercorns to release a more intense flavor.

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

Agreed. Maybe I should use black instead of pink/green? Pink and green may just be too mild?

[58limited]

Honestly, I've used pink and green peppercorns only a few times; I don't know much about them. I generally use black and white pepper.

[rickgregory]

Did you taste the brined green peppercorns on their own and if so, where they peppery to you?

On thickness... that's likely too little reduction before adding the cream (although it's not a thick sauce traditionally).

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

I tried the dried peppers and they are definitely peppery enough once crushed / ground though I think I will mix in Tellicherry ones next time too.

[JCBBQ]

Chef John has a bourbon pepper cream sauce that I like.

[WillTravelForFood]

Agreed with above: lightly crush the green/brined peppercorns.

This is the recipe we've done in the past to great results -- "crushing" is in the instructions. We've also found using a demi-glace in addition to beef broth to be a fantastic flavor addition to many sauces/gravies - if you have that available, consider that as an option.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/pan-seared-strip-steak-with-green-peppercorn-sauce-and-salt-baked-potatoes-recipe-1948877

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

As I just noted, I think what I was actually looking to make was a Demi glacé so thank you for the tip!

[rickgregory]

Agreed with above: lightly crush the green/brined peppercorns.

This is the recipe we've done in the past to great results -- "crushing" is in the instructions. We've also found using a demi-glace in addition to beef broth to be a fantastic flavor addition to many sauces/gravies - if you have that available, consider that as an option.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...recipe-1948877

The serious eats recipe has you reducing the broth/wine combo by 7/8 which is like imitating a demiglace but I think you're right, it might be better to make the demi ahead of time, deglaze with a little beef broth, then add the already prepped demi.

Reducing a lot of liquid takes time and I don't want to spend all the time to reduce 2+ cups to 1/4c like the recipe asks when I want to eat my damn steak...

PS: boxed beef broth is notorious for not having a lot of actual beef in it. You can fortify with a little of this beef base (NOTE the low sodium!). Or of course make your own stock.

[Attjack]

I love concentrated stock paste.

[rickgregory]

Re-read the recipe and he has you reducing a bit over 2 cups to 1/4c in 'about 10 minutes' which... is not going to happen in my experience. I mean MAYBE at full boil on a higher BTU burner... but then the issue becomes that you're reducing very quickly and as you approach 1/4c it will be very easy to overshoot.

All that is another reason to just pre-make the demi-glace.

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

Just to connect the dots here, you guys are taking the Food Network recipe and making it thicker and richer using a Demi glacé? Whereas I probably just want a classic Demi glacé as I posted, or is that not a representative recipe?

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

I think the additional peppery flavor should definitely be fixed by crushing the peppers and leaving some not crushed for presentation. For thickness, I actually think the Demi glacé is exactly what I was expecting and missing.

This looks like what I was expecting to eat : a thick brown gravy with peppercorns, though I’d probably want to crush a few as well.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-demi-glace-996092

I feel like this mystery is solved as I basically made the wrong thing, but didn’t know what I was looking to eat.

[rickgregory]

Peppercorn sauce is traditionally not really gravy like which is why I think you run into those recipes a lot. Curious, did you reduce as much as the SE recipe called for and it still was a little thin?

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

Take a look. We probably could have got it a bit thicker , but it wouldn’t have been anywhere close to the brown gravy / Demi glacé sauces I posted just above.

[rickgregory]

I'm guessing you didnt reduce 1.25c to 1/4 there? (I misread it as 2cups initially)

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

Unlikely. That is, you’d be right.

[rickgregory]

IFindZeroBadCooks - apropos of your question above... I was reading the Serious Eats recipe which calls for reducing 1 cup of beef broth plus some wine etc to 1/4c which is basically a demi. That should not be thin, esp when you add some cream.

My issue with it is that it will take awhile to do that reduction and if I have steaks ready, I don't want to wait 10-15+ minutes and fuss with that. So if you pre-make the demi by doing the reduction ahead of time you can deglaze with a little stock, add peppercorn, simmer, add demi, then cream and boom, done. That means you can deglaze at a simmer, not a hard boil, too, so you have a bit more control as the reduction approaches its end.

PS: I would add some of the brandy during the reduction (maybe half of it, so 1/8th cup). And I'd eyeball the cream. Basically, he has you doing this:

1. Reduce 1c beef broth to 1/4c.
2. Add 1/4c brandy and 3T red wine. At this point you have about 5/8c of liquid.
3. Add 1/4c cream. You're now about 3/4 cup of sauce. That's a LOT of sauce unless you're doing 8+ steaks.

What I'd do instead:

1. As you're reducing beef broth, take a couple of tablespoons of it and make a cornstarch slurry (use maybe 1tsp or so of cornstarch). Set aside
2. Reduce 1c beef broth to 1/4c ahead of time.
3. After you remove the steaks, do what he suggests, but deglaze with just maybe 1/4c of plain broth, scrape up the fond, etc. Let that reduce back down and as it's about to go dry, add the broth you reduces in step 2. Do this step on medium heat, not high (high will be too quick)
4. Add 1/8c brandy, reduce back to 1/4c.
5. Add 1/8c brandy and 1/8c cream, adjust as needed for volume and thickness.

If volume is ok, ignore the slurry you made. If it's the right volume but needs some thickening, add a little of the slurry and cook for a couple of minutes to thicken, adding more if needed.

[WillTravelForFood]

Buy the demi.
It comes in small, recipe-sized packages.

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

That is handy. I found some single serving packets locally that I will have to pick up once I am no longer a danger to the community. Amazon only has the massive containers…

[rickgregory]

IFindZeroBadCooks - demi also freezes just fine.

[WillTravelForFood]

This was our peppercorn sauce using a pack of store-bought demi. Knew it was posted here somewhere:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...13#post1096513

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

Yeah, that’s the ticket alright.