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!
First time I made peppercorn sauce the family loved it now every time we have any meat I have to make it
That’s awesome to hear, Frank! Thanks so much for popping back for a review 🙂 C.
Never made pepper sauce before today. This stuff is good! I pressure cooked a sirloin roast and used the beef and sauce over noodles. Goodness it was good!
That’s so awesome to hear, Judy! Thanks so much for stopping by for a review 🙂 C.x
I just tried this sauce recipe to go with beef tenderloin and it was absolutely delicious and really easy to male. Thank you for sharing this great recipe.
Awesome to hear, thanks so much for the review! 🙂
yup, pretty much the same as I make it. I like to add a flat teaspoon of coriander seeds crushed with the peppercorns and a tiny sprinkle of cayenne. Tastes great.
Oooo I’ll have to give it a go with the coriander seeds/cayenne – sounds lush!
I’ve made this sauce more times than I can count. It is my go to for chicken or a great rare steak. It is so easy to make and the flavour is divine. Will definitely be checking out more of your recipes!
That’s great to hear, Hayley! Hope you enjoy more recipes 🙂 Chris x
Absolutely delicious. Wanted a sauce without brandy and found this recipe and enjoyed it so much we are not going back to my usual one. Thankyou
That’s awesome to hear, Maria! Thanks so much for popping back for a review 🙂
Thank you for sharing! Def took our steak to another level, so simple to make as well!
Made this last week it was amazing, so much so that I am going to make it again today
That’s awesome to hear Bev! Thanks so much for the review 🙂
Made it tonight. Really good. Husband described as restaurant quality!
Great to hear! Thanks for popping back for a review 🙂
Made this a few nights ago- super yummy and easy! I think next time I will add more peppercorns though