Hi,

I'm having about a dozen people over for a barbeque next weekend. I ordered
some terrific strip steaks for the event. I'm planning to cook them on the
deck
on the grill. What I'd like to do is make an "au poivre" sauce that can be
spooned
over the steaks when they're ready to be served.

Unfortunately, every "Steak Au Poivre" receipe I can find usually calls for
the steak to be pan fried in the sauce. I suspect that the meat "drippings"
become a key component of the sauce.

Is it possible to make a sauce using ingredients like cracked peppercorns,
cognac, cream, beef boullion, etc that will work without actually cooking
the steaks in it?

While I'm at it, any suggestions for the steaks prior to grilling? I'm
thinking of just brushing them with a little oil and minced garlic.

Thanks
Kenny

Kenny wrote:

> I'm having about a dozen people over for a barbeque [CORRECTION:
> "cookout"] next weekend. I
> ordered some terrific strip steaks for the event. I'm planning to
> cook them on the deck
> on the grill. What I'd like to do is make an "au poivre" sauce that
> can be spooned
> over the steaks when they're ready to be served.

Sounds good

> Unfortunately, every "Steak Au Poivre" receipe I can find usually
> calls for the steak to be pan fried in the sauce. I suspect that the
> meat "drippings" become a key component of the sauce.

Yup.

> Is it possible to make a sauce using ingredients like cracked
> peppercorns, cognac, cream, beef boullion, etc that will work without
> actually cooking the steaks in it?

Yup, although I never cook with etoh, and the beef boullion is a salty, poor
substitute for beef drippings.

> While I'm at it, any suggestions for the steaks prior to grilling? I'm
> thinking of just brushing them with a little oil and minced
> garlic.

Pull them out of the fridge about 35 minutes prior to grilling. Pre-heat
your grill to 550 - 600F. No oil on the steaks. Just salt, pepper, and dry
seasoning of choice.

--
Dave
Dave's Pit-Smoked Bar-B-Que
http://davebbq.com/

In article >,
"Kenny" > writes:
>
> Is it possible to make a sauce using ingredients like cracked peppercorns,
> cognac, cream, beef boullion, etc that will work without actually cooking
> the steaks in it?

Whenever I want to make a sauce for any meat ahead of time, I buy a very
cheap piece of the same beast, like some pot roast or lamb steaks, etc.
and brown those and make sauce/stock/gravy/etc. I even do this with
turkey legs and thighs so my gravy is done ahead of time. As for the
boullion, it's crap. Around here in New England, there's a nice line of
soup bases called "Better than Boullion" made from the real animal and
it's great. I use their chicken base for countless items. They have beef
as well as many others too.

--
- Kyle

Kenny wrote:

> Is it possible to make a sauce using ingredients like cracked peppercorns,
> cognac, cream, beef boullion, etc that will work without actually cooking
> the steaks in it?

There are several substitute products you can use. They vary in quality.

Demi-glace - You can either buy it or make it. To make it, reduce some
beef stock by boiling it down until it's syrupy and coats the back of a
spoon. This will usually require something like an 8:1 reduction. I vote
for this choice.

Beef base - This comes in a jar and is probably just barely
acceptable depending on your taste. If it's a good brand and
you're lucky it will turn out "just OK".

Bouillon - I'd say no to this one. It's very salty and doesn't
contain enough protein to provide the necessary body to the sauce.

> While I'm at it, any suggestions for the steaks prior to grilling? I'm
> thinking of just brushing them with a little oil and minced garlic.

Sounds great to me.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

i used to make sauces in a french restaurant many years ago
(especially marchand de vin if i could spell it) and i agree with the
cheap meat idea....that way you get real beef (or whatever) flavored
drippings

On Sun, 17 Jul 2005 19:35:50 +0000 (UTC),
(Kyle Tucker) wrote:

>In article >,
> "Kenny" > writes:
>>
>> Is it possible to make a sauce using ingredients like cracked peppercorns,
>> cognac, cream, beef boullion, etc that will work without actually cooking
>> the steaks in it?
>
>Whenever I want to make a sauce for any meat ahead of time, I buy a very
>cheap piece of the same beast, like some pot roast or lamb steaks, etc.
>and brown those and make sauce/stock/gravy/etc. I even do this with
>turkey legs and thighs so my gravy is done ahead of time. As for the
>boullion, it's crap. Around here in New England, there's a nice line of
>soup bases called "Better than Boullion" made from the real animal and
>it's great. I use their chicken base for countless items. They have beef
>as well as many others too.

Recently I started applying a bit of Worchestershire sauce to the surface of
each steak, then letting it dry and blotting the steak prior to grilling.
"To salt or not to salt" I apply a bit of Kosher salt to each side.
Assuming you want char-rare steaks, don't grill with the cover closed. Don't
grill with a gas grill. They
just don't get hot enought with the lid up.
sauce. I deal with this issue myself quite a bit. There isn't an easy
answer. All commercial boullion products are bad. "Better than B." is
marginal at best. There are some French veal espangole products that are
good, but expensive, hard to find, and they don't remove the need to make a
roux and make a mildly thickend sauce in the usual way traditional French
cooking dictates.
BTW, my favorite steak sauce is Paul Neuman's, which is available
sporidically in yuppie markets.
Good Luck
Kent

"Kenny" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> I'm having about a dozen people over for a barbeque next weekend. I
> ordered
> some terrific strip steaks for the event. I'm planning to cook them on
> the deck
> on the grill. What I'd like to do is make an "au poivre" sauce that can be
> spooned
> over the steaks when they're ready to be served.
>
> Unfortunately, every "Steak Au Poivre" receipe I can find usually calls
> for
> the steak to be pan fried in the sauce. I suspect that the meat
> "drippings"
> become a key component of the sauce.
>
> Is it possible to make a sauce using ingredients like cracked peppercorns,
> cognac, cream, beef boullion, etc that will work without actually cooking
> the steaks in it?
>
> While I'm at it, any suggestions for the steaks prior to grilling? I'm
> thinking of just brushing them with a little oil and minced garlic.
>
> Thanks
> Kenny
>
>

Kent wrote:

> sauce. I deal with this issue myself quite a bit. There isn't an easy
> answer. All commercial boullion products are bad. "Better than B." is
> marginal at best. There are some French veal espangole products that are
> good, but expensive, hard to find, and they don't remove the need to make a
> roux and make a mildly thickend sauce in the usual way traditional French
> cooking dictates.

I've tried many and this is one of the best available in the US. You
can use it straight as meat glaze (glace de viande) or add water and use
like demi glace.

http://www.morethangourmet.com/products/demi.htm

> BTW, my favorite steak sauce is Paul Neuman's, which is available
> sporidically in yuppie markets.

Gonna try it.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

Reg, thanks for your post. Is this concocted in the US or in France? That
isn't clear from their web site.
I've tried a # of the high buck demi glace products without success. Any
French product is predominantly veal, with a little bit of fowl, believe it
or not, and hardly any beef stock. I just reread the 1966 Larousse
Gastronomique and the recipe for sauce espagnole is a long way away from
what most of us think it is. Their price is right, if the product is OK.

"Reg" > wrote in message
.. .
> Kent wrote:
>
>> sauce. I deal with this issue myself quite a bit. There isn't an easy
>> answer. All commercial boullion products are bad. "Better than B." is
>> marginal at best. There are some French veal espangole products that are
>> good, but expensive, hard to find, and they don't remove the need to make
>> a roux and make a mildly thickend sauce in the usual way traditional
>> French cooking dictates.
>
> I've tried many and this is one of the best available in the US. You
> can use it straight as meat glaze (glace de viande) or add water and use
> like demi glace.
>
> http://www.morethangourmet.com/products/demi.htm
>
>> BTW, my favorite steak sauce is Paul Neuman's, which is available
>> sporidically in yuppie markets.
>
> Gonna try it.
>
> --
> Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com
>

In article >,
"Kent" > writes:

> All commercial boullion products are bad. "Better than B." is
> marginal at best.

I'll concede. I should have said Better than Boullion was great
compared to boullion. I make my own stocks as well and cook those
way down and freeze them, but I save those for good sauces with
good meats. But for everyday use; like big soups, in Chinese
sauces, collard greens, whatever; I use Better than Boullion.

--
- Kyle

Kent wrote:

> Reg, thanks for your post. Is this concocted in the US or in France? That
> isn't clear from their web site.
> I've tried a # of the high buck demi glace products without success. Any
> French product is predominantly veal, with a little bit of fowl, believe it
> or not, and hardly any beef stock. I just reread the 1966 Larousse
> Gastronomique and the recipe for sauce espagnole is a long way away from
> what most of us think it is. Their price is right, if the product is OK.

I got the heads up on this product by a recommendation in James
Peterson's outstanding book, "Sauces".

<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471292753/qid=1122677567/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_ur_2_1/102-9062840-5060965>

It turned out to be the best commercially prepared glace I've ever
had. In the long run I've found that I'd still rather make my own
though so I guess you could say if I had to buy a commercial version
this would be the one.

I do know from your posts that you have pretty high standards,
admirably so. The question is whether you'll find it can substitute
for your own homemade version.

In any case the stuff certainly passes the cost/benefit test,
if and only if you find it's up to your standards that is.
It's a lot cheaper than making it yourself just in ingredients
alone. All in all I find I have to use at least 20 lbs of bones
and trimming to make a gallon of demi. It's expensive and it takes
a lot of stove time, much more than just making stock.

So I'd say give it a shot. Order the smaller size first and see
if it suits you.

PS - Maybe they'll respond to a question about where it's made
or other questions you might have. Most high quality producers
like to talk about their products in my experience.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com