A Creamy Peppercorn Sauce couldn’t be more simple and delicious to make! This Peppercorn Sauce without brandy is about to be your go-to sauce for steak, chicken, portobello mushrooms, potatoes and everything between!
A quick peppercorn sauce is the perfect addition to any meal. I’m serious, I pour this stuff over everything. I like to call it ‘dressing up your dinner’. That or just pouring calories over your dinner, because that’s also quite fun. Delicious calories nevertheless!
I’ve been obsessed with peppercorn sauce for as long as I can remember. It mainly started around the time became obsessed with steak, because steak with peppercorn sauce is juuuuuust the best.
And don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some pretty decent restaurant peppercorn sauce in my time, but honestly, finding a good peppercorn sauce is sometimes pretty tricky. For me the best peppercorn sauce is creamy, yet beefy with a kick of spice. Most of the stuff you get served these days is almost like gravy with a few whole peppercorns floating in it. Not for me.
So, after realising I was turning into a food snob (that or a just cream addict) I made it my mission to create the best homemade creamy peppercorn sauce! Guys, I can’t express to you how easy it is make and how much more delicious it is than any pepper sauce you’ve tasted before.
I know, what a claim! But it’s true. Let’s take a closer look at just how easy it is.
How to make a Peppercorn Sauce
- I’ll always take over from where I left off. So if I’m cooking steak, I’m starting in the same pan, using the leftover juices to get things started.
- From there it’s as simple as sautéing some shallots and garlic, chucking in some Worcestershire sauce, crushed peppercorns and beef stock, then pouring in some cream.
- Then it’s just a matter of simmering until thickened! No flour or cornstarch needed, it’ll thicken just beautifully by itself.
Easy right?
Just one more thing to cover.
Peppercorn Sauce without Brandy or Alcohol
There are a lot of peppercorn sauce recipes that use brandy and honestly when I first developed this recipe way back when, I did include brandy.
Brandy adds a nice little kick to the sauce. It’s nice. But to use it effectively you need to burn it off by igniting it into a flame, which turns it into a syrupy, glossy kind of texture. For some people that can be a scary process, which I totally get.
Also, all of these creamy peppercorn sauce ingredients are cheap and convenient. If you haven’t got brandy lying about the house it’s slightly annoying buying a bottle for the use of about 1/4 cup of it!
So weighing things up, the small benefit of using it isn’t worth the hassle, in my opinion.
Anywho, steak anyone?
Because realistically, pepper sauce for steak is literally the most heavenly thing on earth.
But things just got real intense and the potatoes came out.
If you thought pouring a creamy peppercorn sauce over a thick juicy steak was good, try pouring it over a hasselback potato and watch it side between the cracks.
Oh me oh my.
Anywho, I think that’s just about enough from me and my intense creamy peppercorn sauce addiction. It’s over to you.
How to make Creamy Peppercorn Sauce without Brandy (Full Recipe & Video)
Creamy Peppercorn Sauce
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board (for shallots/garlic)
- Pestle & Mortar or Zip Lock Bag & Rolling Pin (for peppercorns)
- Medium-Large Frying Pan
- Wooden Spoon
- Jug (for stock & serving)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Whole Black Peppercorns, crushed (see notes)
- 1 tbsp Butter (see notes)
- 2 small Shallots, very finely diced
- 1 clove Garlic, very finely diced
- 3/4 cup / 180ml Beef Stock
- 3/4 cup / 180ml Double Cream, at room temp (Heavy Cream in US)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- If you're frying steak leave the juices in the pan. This will add a huge amount of flavour to the sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat and fry the shallots until soft and golden (careful they don't burn).
- Add in the garlic and peppercorns and fry for a further 30 seconds or so until the garlic just begins to colour (again, be careful it doesn't burn). Add the beef stock, then stir in the cream and Worcestershire sauce.
- Simmer and stir somewhat frequently until the sauce thickens (approx 8-12mins). It will thicken, just keep simmering and gently stirring away. If you've cooked steak or any other meat you can stir in any resting juices just before you finish, just for extra flavour! Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.
- Remove from heat and pour into a jug. Just be aware it'll thicken the longer you leave it. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
For the perfect accompaniment to your peppercorn sauce, check out my Easy Homemade Skinless Sausages!
Followed the recipe although cut down on On the peppercorn cause I’m not a fan of spicy food O but I have to say it was not creamy it was kind of curdled with lots of little bumps
Hi Ann!
Sorry to hear you didn’t have much luck with the recipe. Unfortunately sometimes when cream hits heat it can curdle, which is what seems to have happened with you. If you were to try it again (which I’m hoping you will, it’s a truly delicious sauce!) I’d just check the following:
First that it’s double cream (heavy cream in the US) you’re using. This has a much lower chance of curdling than single/thin cream. Also, it’s important to have the stock simmering on heat no higher than a medium flame before you add the cream. Having it any higher would increase the chance of curdling. I know ‘medium’ can sometimes be subjective so just a little lower than last time should do the trick. Bonus tip would be having the cream at room temp.
Thanks for popping back and sharing your feedback and hope you love the sauce next time! Chris.
I used single cream, but to avoid it curdling I turned down the heat to low and took out a couple of spoons of the sauce from the pan in a separate bowl and slowly added the cream, while continuously mixing. This brings the cream to the same temp as the sauce in the pan and once all the cream is added, I take a couple more spoons of the sauce from the pan and mix well before adding everything back into the pan. Lovely sauce and added a lot of flavour to the steak.
Is IT possible to reheat? Looks great
Yep! You can definitely reheat.
Sweet. Will give a review after i make it.
This looks amazing! Is it possible to make this with a heavy cream rather than a double cream?
Yup! Heavy cream is perfect 🙂
Are you able to make this in advance and refrigerate until ready to use?
You absolutely can yes! 🙂
O trust me Liz it was gorgeous!!!!!!!
Wow that sauce sounds so good! I bet it would be delicious to dunk french fries in!
You should not have put that thought in my head.
*reaches for french fries and doesn’t stop dunking… ever*
So, I hate to admit this, but, I’ve never had peppercorn sauce – but your description and photos are making me wanna run out and get the ingredients and have a go at it! It looks scrumptiously creamy!
Shashi you’ve got to try it!! It’ll change your entire outlook on life.. or something like that.
That sauce looks incredible!
Thanks, Jessica! 🙂
I love peppercorn sauce and yours looks delicious and so creamy! Will definitely have to give your recipe a try!
Isn’t it just the best!? That’s so awesome, enjoy! 🙂
Wow Chris!!! This is incredible! Although I’m a vegetarian nowadays, steak and peppercorn sauce used to be my weakness! Just like you, I would pour this stuff over anything! Such an amazing sauce! And your pictures are just fantastic! Glad I came across your blog!
Anna! Your kind words have made my day! Steak and peppercorn is still my weakness (as i’m sure you’ve figured!) 🙂