Pepper Sauce for Steak
Just like from a grill bar! Pepper sauce for steak - aromatic and spicy, made with cream - pairs perfectly with beef. It also works with any simple meat or poultry dish. Let’s cook it the way professional chefs do.
Updated : 05 March, 2026
Easy
About 10 min.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon
Butter
200 milliliters
Water
200 milliliters
Cream
to taste
Peppercorns
1
Garlic
1
Onions
to taste
Salt
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How to make pepper sauce? Prepare the ingredients. Use whole peppercorns only - they’re more aromatic than pre-ground pepper. Any cream fat percentage works, but the higher the fat, the tastier the sauce. I use filtered water because I don’t like broths, but you can use beef stock instead - it will deepen the flavor. Traditionally a small red onion is used.
Step 2
Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet. Don’t replace it with sunflower oil - the buttery note is important here.
Step 3
Finely chop the onion. Grate the garlic on a fine grater. Sauté everything together for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4
Pour in boiling water so you don’t interrupt the cooking process. Be careful of the steam. Over medium heat, simmer and reduce for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid should reduce to almost half - this finishes cooking the onion.
Step 5
Crush the peppercorns in a mortar. Don’t overdo it - the grind should be about 1 mm. It’s best to crush pepper right before cooking; the aroma and heat are far better than pre-ground.
Step 6
Once the liquid has reduced, pour in the cream. I used 10%, but richer cream will taste better - just note the sauce will be more calorie-dense.
Step 7
To thicken the sauce, I needed about 6 minutes of simmering, but it may vary. Once it starts to thicken, add the crushed pepper and stir.
Step 8
Reduce the heat to low and simmer the cream for about 3 more minutes. Stir constantly so it doesn’t stick.
Step 9
When the sauce holds a clear line from a spatula, it’s ready. Season with salt and taste, then remove from heat. Remember: it will thicken even more as it cools.
Step 10
Pour the sauce into a container suitable for an immersion blender and blend until smooth. Keep the blender head fully submerged to avoid splashing. Serve right away.
Author note
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