How to Au Poivre Your Dinner

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

photo credit: Calum Lewis via Unsplash

Not much makes me feel like more of a chef than cooking something I find difficult to pronounce. It doubles the challenge of not only delivering an elegant meal, but also telling my husband what it is in a way that doesn’t sound ridiculous. Chicken Au Poivre (pwav-ruh) falls into that category.

Since learning how to cook (and say) au poivre, I’ve fallen head over heels for this peppery sauce. Not only is it simple to make, but also it has so many fun variations. Join me in the au poivre fun and start saucing up your steaks, chicken, fish and more!

Step 1: Pick Your Pepper

Au poivre literally means pepper, so it only makes sense to start there. If you’ve been cooking with us for a while, you’ve learned that black pepper is not alone in the pepper world. This week’s Chicken Au Poivre uses cracked black pepper, but you could try other peppercorns like pink, green or white for a different flavor.

Step 2: Choose Your Meat

We chose to serve this week’s meal over juicy White Oak Pastures Chicken Breasts, but au poivre is most commonly seen on steaks. Let your imagination guide you!

Step 3: Make the Sauce

Now that the decisions are over, this is the easy part. Generously coat your meat of choice with salt & pepper and pan sear. Remove and set aside while making the delicious peppery sauce. Deglaze your pan then add a little broth and your peppercorns then bring to a boil. Add your meat back to the pan and simmer until cooked through. Once cooked, remove the meat and thicken your sauce with a mixture of cream and cornstarch or flour. Add a dash of Dijon mustard and voila! You’ve got a sauce fit for a king!

NOTE: Some recipes prefer that you add the peppercorn directly to the meat, but we like it in the sauce!

Need some help in your first au poivre adventure? We’ve got you covered!

Order Your Chicken Au Poivre