Peppercorn Sauce Recipe

Prepare peppercorns

Put the black peppercorns in a small bowl or on a cutting board and crush coarsely using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef's knife. You want large fragments, not powder. If using green peppercorns in brine, drain and lightly crush with the back of a spoon.

Sweat aromatics

Place a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 tbs unsalted butter. When it foams, add the minced shallot and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until softened and translucent but not browned. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze

Increase heat to medium-high, add the crushed black peppercorns (and green peppercorns if using), and immediately pour in the white wine or cognac (1 tbs). Let it bubble and reduce for about 1 minute to burn off alcohol and concentrate aroma, scraping any browned bits from the pan.

Add stock and reduce

Add the beef or veal stock (3 tbs) and Worcestershire sauce (1 tsp). Bring to a simmer and reduce by about half, roughly 2–3 minutes. This concentrates the savory base and melds the pepper flavor.

Finish with cream

Lower heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream (3 tbs) and Dijon mustard (1 tsp) if using. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Do not boil vigorously or the cream may separate.

Season

Taste the sauce and add salt (about 1 tsp) as needed and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper to adjust heat. If the sauce is too sharp, simmer a little longer to mellow; if too thin, reduce slightly until desired consistency.

Mount with butter

Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the cold cubed butter (1 tbs) one piece at a time until incorporated to give the sauce a glossy sheen and slightly thicken it. This step is optional but recommended for a rich finish.

Strain and garnish (optional)

If you prefer a smooth sauce, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a serving jug, pressing on solids to extract flavor. Stir in chopped parsley (1 tbs) for color and serve warm over steak, pork, or roasted vegetables.