My quick and easy peppercorn sauce recipe. It’s made without cream, instead using milk and other common store cupboard and fridge ingredients so you can whip it up whenever you want.
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When I first decided to try making my own peppercorn sauce I wanted to find a recipe which could be made with ingredients I always have at home. I found that most recipes have a cream base, which I only have in when I know I’m going to need it.
Then I came across this recipe for Quick & Simple Peppercorn Sauce on Stu’s Food (unfortunately this site is no longer available) which is made without cream. Instead it combines a roux base and milk to give it it’s rich creamy texture and flavour.
My own peppercorn sauce recipe has grown from this idea and is the perfect accompaniment to steak, gammon or chicken
Peppercorn Sauce FAQs
If it’s your first time making this recipe or you have a question, please take a moment to have a read through my FAQs for some extra tips and allergen information.
- What can I serve peppercorn sauce with?
- Can I prepare the peppercorn sauce in advance?
- Can I use cream instead of milk to make this sauce?
- Can I use a different type of alcohol to brandy in peppercorn sauce?
- Do I have to use alcohol in peppercorn sauce?
- Can I add meat juices to this sauce?
- Can I add onions or garlic to the peppercorn sauce?
- What peppercorns are best to use for peppercorn sauce?
- Is peppercorn sauce spicy?
- Is this peppercorn sauce recipes suitable for vegetarians?
- Can I make vegan peppercorn sauce?
- How can I make peppercorn sauce lower in fat?
- What is this peppercorn sauce free from? Who is it suitable for?
What can I serve peppercorn sauce with?
Peppercorn sauce is most classically served with (beef) steak as steak au poivre, a classic French dish but is equally delicious served with lamb, pork or even chicken.
Used sparingly it can also be used as a creamy pasta sauce, in a layered potato bake or anywhere that a béchamel (white) sauce would usually be used but needs a little more kick!
Can I prepare the peppercorn sauce in advance?
This sauce can be prepared in advance and then reheated just before serving.
The sauce will thicken as it reheats so you’ll need to add a little extra milk to get it back to its original thickness.
In the meantime, the sauce can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container or covered with cling film. If you make sure the cling film touches the top of the sauce, this will stop a skin from forming.
❄️ Suitable for freezing
This sauce is suitable for freezing, simply store it in an airtight container until you want to use it. It will separate a little in the freezer but you’ll find it’ll come back to its original consistency as it’s heated.
Can I use cream instead of milk to make this sauce?
This isn’t something I would recommend. In many peppercorn sauce recipes the thickness of the sauce comes from cream. In this recipe it comes from the roux base to the sauce. Using both cream and a roux base will give you a sauce that is too thick.
Can I use a different type of alcohol to brandy in peppercorn sauce?
Brandy is the classic flavour for peppercorn sauce but you can easily substitute another spirit. Readers have used both whiskey and vermouth with success.
I would try to stick with rich warming spirits, something like vodka or gin is likely to be less successful.
Do I have to use alcohol in peppercorn sauce?
No, you can either leave out the alcohol entirely or use a non-alcoholic substitute.
Can I add meat juices to this sauce?
Yes you can add any meat cooking juices to the sauce for extra flavour. Be mindful that juices will make the sauce thinner so you may need to reduce the amount of stock that you are using to take account of this.
Can I add onions or garlic to the peppercorn sauce?
Yes, you can add onion and/or garlic to the sauce at the beginning stage of the process. Soften diced or sliced onions in the butter before adding the flour.
You can either leave the onions chunky in the sauce or use a stick blender to blitz it after the milk has been added.
Minced/grated garlic can also be added to the butter – be careful that it doesn’t catch and burn as this could ruin the sauce.
What peppercorns are best to use for peppercorn sauce?
I use regular black peppercorns. I always start with whole peppercorns and grind them myself. This ensures that the flavours are fresh and fragrant which will impact the flavour of the sauce.
Pink and green peppercorns are milder and a little more fruity in flavour. You can use these to make a milder flavour sauce or mix them with black peppercorns for a more fragrant sauce.
Is peppercorn sauce spicy?
Pepper does have a spicy kick to it but it is not overpowering in this sauce. If you want to make the sauce spicier, you can increase the amount of peppercorns, use Szechuan peppercorns or even add some dried chilli flakes.
If you don’t want your sauce with too much of a kick you could reduce the amount of peppercorns but then you run the risk of it not having enough flavour and not really being a peppercorn sauce anymore. Using green or pink peppercorns with just a little black peppercorn may be a better solution.
Is this peppercorn sauce recipes suitable for vegetarians?
I use chicken stock to make the sauce as I like the rich flavour that this gives but you can easily switch this to a vegetable or mushroom stock to make a vegetarian peppercorn sauce if you prefer.
Can I make vegan peppercorn sauce?
Yes! In addition to using vegetable or mushroom stock, you will need to make a few simple swaps from dairy products to dairy free/plant based alternatives.
The butter is easy to switch for a plant based butter and the milk can be substituted with an unsweetened plant-based milk. I would try to choose something more neutral in flavour like soy, almond or cashew milk rather than something with quite a distinct flavour like coconut milk.
How can I make peppercorn sauce lower in fat?
I have created a whole separate recipe with a lower calorie and lower fat version of this sauce. Have a look at my recipe for Peppercorn Sauce… with a healthy makeover for more details.
What is this peppercorn sauce free from? Who is it suitable for?
The ingredients I used to make this recipe are all free from the following allergens. However, please check any labels carefully for allergens you need to avoid as brands can vary, and product recipes can change over time.
- Egg-Free
- Tree Nut-Free
- Peanut-Free
- Sesame-Free
- Soya-Free
- Fish-Free
- Mollusc-Free
- Crustacean-Free
- Celery-Free
- Mustard-Free
- Lupin-Free
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Peppercorn Sauce
INGREDIENTS
- 35 g butter
- 35 g plain flour
- 200 ml milk - I use skimmed but any type is fine
- 100 ml chicken stock - or ½ chicken stock cube with 100ml water
- 1 tbsp brandy
- 15 g (4 tsp) black peppercorns - vary this according to how powerful you want your sauce to be
- Salt
RECIPE VIDEO
INSTRUCTIONS
- Crack the black peppercorns (15g) in a pestle and mortar (if you don’t have one, put them in a plastic bag, wrap in a tea towel, and hit a few times with a rolling pin) – You want to make sure that the peppercorns are cracked, but do not over-grind otherwise the sauce will lose its intense peppery flavour.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter (35g) on a low heat.
- Once the butter is fully melted, gradually add the flour (35g). After each addition mix well to ensure it is fully combined with the butter. Once all the flour is added you should have a thick smooth paste.
- Cook the butter and flour mix for a couple of minutes stirring regularly – Cooking the butter and flour mix for a couple of minutes before adding the other ingredients ensures that the flour is cooked. If you skip this step your finished sauce may have an odd floury taste.
- Add the brandy (1 tbsp) and mix well to combine with the butter and flour – adding the brandy at this stage ensures that the alcohol is cooked off.
- Gradually add the milk (200ml), mixing well after each addition to combine with the butter and flour – I like to switch to using a whisk at this stage as it helps to break down any lumps.
- Once all the milk is combined, add the chicken stock and black peppercorns and season with salt (I use approx. ¼tsp)
- Simmer gently until the sauce has reduced to your required consistency.
If you’re making the sauce in advance
- Once the sauce has cooked, pour it into a jug or bowl and immediately cover with clingfilm. It’s important that you push the clingfilm down into the dish so that it is in contact with the top of the sauce. This will prevent a skin forming.
- Just before serving, pour back into a saucepan and heat gently until warm. If you find that the sauce is becoming too thick, add a little milk to loosen it the the required consistency.
NOTES
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.
Emma says
Absolutely perfect. My husband’s birthday and I cooked us a fine, melt in the mouth, rib-eye steak. I stumbled upon several recipes for a good peppercorn sauce but this particular one had me. I have made this before (a different recipe) from, forgotten where, but this was far exceptional
. I followed the recipe exactly except I added 2 tablespoons of double cream at end (sorry Charlotte). But, Im sure it wasnt needed. It’s just I cant help myself. This recipe is amazing. Thank you Charlotte. Im going to pass it on to my brother and others. Charlotte). I’ll always use this recipe from now on!
Keeoe says
Great recipe. I cooked the roux until it was a lovely golden brown and omitted the brandy (purely through necessity as I had none to hand) before I added the milk. I then used beef stock to thin out the sauce and upped the peppercorns by about half again (I’m a hothead!) You got all of the measurements spot on. Cracking result!
N A says
Tried this today – absolutely amazing. So simple too. Thank you!
Natalie Feddon says
So quick to make and delicious I used cream instead of milk and the texture was just right. This will be my go to peppercorn sauce from now on
KC says
Superb sauce. Be careful to get your quantities right or it’ll be lumpy. Great work Charlotte!
Adina says
Amazing ! My favourite peppercorn recipe. I just wrote it down on my recipe notebook .
Ian says
Really really good sauce, easy to make and tastes delicious! Thank you, this recipe is now saved in my folder
Derek says
stunning sauce but i changed it slightly i added peppercorns first for a few seconds to roast them slightly ( intensify the flavour ) then followed the recipe with unsalted butter , full cream milk and 2 tablespoons of sherry then added lo salt at the end .
made it slightly loose , stir fried chicken , garlic , spring onion and green beans until just cooked , turned out into a baking tray added broccoli and cauliflower raw , poured over sauce and covered and baked in medium oven for 10 mins . had this with a baked potato and side salad lol im trying to find ways to reduce my blood pressure
Thankyou
Derek
Charlotte Oates says
Sound delicious! Good luck with the blood pressure. I’d recommend you take a look at my sister’s site. She’s a qualified nutritionist and creates recipes far healthier than mine. I’m sure she will have some that might help you
Mr M TURNER says
Definitely the best peppercorn sauce I’ve made. I like the fact all the ingredients are staples.
Charlotte Oates says
That’s why I designed it like it is 🙂
Bill says
I’d love to try this, but the measurements are impossible. Who measures butter in grams? I’m not going to go buy scales to figure out how many tablespoons 35g is!
Too bad.
Charlotte Oates says
I always measure butter in grams 🙂
35g is just over 2 tablespoons.
Dene says
Who would ever measure butter in tablespoons? If you haven’t got scales, then i suggest sticking with processed food.
Kerryh says
I’m off to try this sauce.
I’m having to double the amount so
4 tablespoons of butter for me
Graham says
Perfect sauce, and with the bonus that cream isn’t a must have ingredient. All ingredients readily available in the kitchen cupboards so can be made whenever a delicious sauce is required.
Charlotte Oates says
I’m glad you enjoyed it. I found some many recipes needed cream and I rarely have it in so wanted to create something without it.
Nige says
My wife usualy mixes up a packet pepper sauce for steak so I thought I’d surprise her and cooked up this. I didn’t measure the ingredients accurately as I only wanted to make enough for one serve. All worked out and the leftover has been put in the freezer so I’ll take that as a pass.
Liz Nelson says
Absolutely delicious.. thank you for the recipe.. just finished our Saturday steak and the sauce made it extra special …easy to make with on hand ingredients
Andrew says
Made exactly as described except used a little single cream as well as milk. It was better than anything I’ve had in a restaurant. Served with ribeye steak and fried mushrooms it was smile inducing perfection. I love simple recipes like this! Thank you.
Aleksandra Dobron says
My first attempt to homemade peppercorn sauce and it’s delicious. I used green pepper and left out brandy though.
Mariza says
Great recipe. I didn’t have any whiskey or brandy, I used white wine instead and it test yummy too. Thanks a lot
Charlotte Oates says
I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s good to hear that it works well with white wine too.
Charlotte Oates says
Thanks, I hope he enjoys it.
Helene AKA Croque-Maman says
I love peppercorn sauce and this recipe is just brilliant because you can do it with ingredients you always have in your kitchen!
Charlotte Oates says
Thanks Helene. I love recipes where I have everything in the cupboard already as I’m terrible at remembering to get everything I need for the supermarket!
Mariam says
This turned out amazing i substituted the brandy for soy sause for more flavor yumm
Thanks for sharing the recipe
Cally says
This is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you 🙂