Mean Chef's Steak Au Poivre

Ingredients

• 4 (6-8 ounce)  New York strip steaks, 3/4 inch thick, patted dry or 4 sirloin steaks, 3/4 inch thick, patted dry

• salt
• 3 tablespoons coarsely ground black peppercorns or 1 mixture of various peppercorn
• olive oil, for the pan
• 1 cup red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir)
• 4-6 tablespoons butter, sliced

Directions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 500°F.

2. 2

   Sprinkle the steaks with salt on both sides, and then press the ground peppercorns into the steaks on both sides.

3. 3

   Set a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add just enough olive oil to make a light film.

4. 4

   When the oil is very hot, add the steaks, cooking until nicely browned on one side, about 3 minute.

5. 5

   (If the pan is small, work in batches.) Flip the meat over and put the skillet in the oven.

6. 6

   For medium-rare steaks, roast for 3 minutes for 6-ounce steaks; 4 minutes for 8-ounce steaks.

7. 7

   Check for doneness with the tip of a knife or by pressing with your fingertips, keeping in mind that the steaks will cook a bit more as they sit.

8. 8

   Transfer the steaks to a warm plate and tent with foil.

9. 9

   With a spoon, remove any fat from the skillet.

10. 10

    Put the skillet back on the burner and heat to medium high.

11. 11

    Add the wine and cook until it's reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7 minutes, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. REMOVE PAN FROM THE HEAT.

12. 12

    Whisk in the butter a slice at a time, whisking until completely melted.

13. 13

    Taste and adjust the seasonings, drizzle the sauce over the steaks, and serve immediately with more sauce on the side.

14. 14

    Variations: add shallots to the pan sauce, finish with chopped parsley.

15. 15

    substitute 4 tbl cognac and 1/2 cup dark stock in place of the wine.

16. 16

    substitute 1/4 cup cream and 1/4 cup cognac for the wine- reduce slightly to thicken.