Steak au Poivre

This is one of the most delicious pepper steaks one could make at home. I like mine to be rather big, so it takes a little to cook, but if you use pieces of meat that aren't close to 2.5 inches in thickness like I did, your cooking time and therefore the burning waiting, will be reduced.
It is simple to make and I am pretty sure most people have the ingredients on hand.
This is what I had as protein to go nicely with my previous featured dish - asparagus dijonnaise.

Ingredients:
2 pieces of beef (cube shaped if possible, under 2 inches in thickness)
2 teaspoons of whole assorted peppercorns which you need to coarsely grind fresh
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 TBSP butter
4 TBSP oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup Marsala or Sherry wine or Scotch/Whiskey
aluminum foil

Directions:
Wash your meat really well, then pat it dry with paper towels.
Sprinkle with kosher salt to coat on all sides.
Grind the peppercorns and spread on a plate, then coat the tops and the bottoms of the pieces of meat.


Let them sit at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes to warm up.
Pull out your cast iron skillet and heat it well, then drop the oil and the butter and swirl the skillet a bit for the butter to melt.


Place the meat in the skillet, pepper side down and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side (so it will take you between 3x6=18 minutes to 4x6=24 minutes, depending on how long you cook your meat), to achieve a medium-rare to medium cooked steak.


I suggest you cook the peppered sides first and do so on medium heat so the meat does not burn.
Also, please use tongs to flip the steaks.


When done, place the meat on a plate and cover nicely with aluminum foil to let the meat rest.


While it rests, the residual heat will redistribute, you will prevent the "red eye" and also the meat juices will redistribute and settle. You WANT all that to happen, so please do not skip this step.
Oh, and do not worry, the steak will be still fairly hot when ready to serve.


Now add the onion to the rest of the oil and butter that's left in the skillet and sautee on medium-high heat, adding the alcohol as well, until it cooks down to a thick sauce.
It may take from 5 to 10 minutes or so.


When done, this will go over your steak - it's the best thing you ever put on your steaks, trust me !
Ready to plate !

Here is a section of my juicy steak.