This Filet Mignon with Cognac Peppercorn Sauce will give you the perfect recipe for two every time! These filet mignons, (aka Au Poivre) are seasoned with peppercorns and salt, then grilled to your personal taste and served with a creamy cognac peppercorn sauce on top.
An elegant dish for steak is easy enough to make and enjoy on a date night, special occasions, and Valentine’s Day.
WHY CHOOSE FILET MIGNON?
When choosing the “best of the best” in steaks, choose filet mignon. Filet mignon is the most tender cut of beef you can buy.
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This boneless section has a melt-in-your-mouth quality and buttery texture that has earned it the title ” king of steaks.”
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It’s also one of the most expensive cuts of meat, but they’re worth it!
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Grilling them is the best way to cook them. They always turn out super moist, juicy, and very tender with every bite.
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Topped with a decadent cream sauce like this cognac peppercorn sauce made with shallots, peppercorns, cognac, and cream takes this dish to a whole new level!
WHAT IS COGNAC PEPPERCORN SAUCE?
This cognac peppercorn sauce is basically some heavy cream flavored with cognac and peppercorns and simmered until it thickens. It’s nothing fancy, just a simple cream sauce that makes a very elegant presentation.
How to Make Filet Mignon with Cognac Peppercorn Sauce…
1. First, season the steaks with salt and peppercorns, and set them aside to warm up to room temperature, at least 20 to 30 minutes. Then take a look at our chart for some helpful tips on How to Grill Steak Perfectly.
2. Meanwhile, make the cognac peppercorn sauce. In a skillet, saute shallots until they soften on low heat, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cognac and additional peppercorns.
3. Pour in the cream and simmer until the sauce thickens about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. If the cognac peppercorn sauce gets too thick, you can add in some beef stock until you reach your desired consistency. Leave in the skillet to keep warm.
5. Next, heat the grill or your cast iron skillet. Make sure your outside grill or skillet is extremely hot before you add the steaks. Then add the steaks and grill your filet mignons to your taste, either rare, medium, or well done. There is a chart for grilling indoor to help, click Here.
6. Top each steak with some butter. Keep in mind, when grilling, the outside of the filet mignon may be charred, while the inside meat will be very tender and juicy. ( full recipe card below)
7. Serve on individual dinner plates or in a serving platter.
8. Finally, spoon the rich cream sauce over the filet mignons and serve immediately.
How perfect is that steak? …So. Very. Delicious!
Cook’s Notes and Tips for Success:
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Always invest in a good meat thermometer if you don’t have one. This will ensure the steak will always turn out to your preference every time.
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It’s best to top your steaks with a little butter. It makes a huge difference in flavor, making them juicy and tender – so don’t leave it out.
Filet Mignon Au Poivre (which means peppercorns) turns out great every time!
This recipe for Filet Mignon with Cognac Peppercorn Sauce was inspired by our dear friends Christine and Cesar from New York. They prepare this dish every time we get together; it happens to be one of the best steak dishes to serve for a small soiree.
Filet Mignon with Cognac Peppercorn Sauce is definitely a keeper!
Serve these filet mignons with some delicious sides, like our
And for roasted vegetables, try our Roasted Baby Red and Yukon Potatoes or our Roasted Asparagus. Anyone of these sides would go perfectly with our Filet Mignon recipe.
We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Cheers!
…Thanks for PINNING!
You might enjoy a few more delicious recipes, try these:
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The Perfect Filet Mignon Roast.
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London Broil Steak Grilled To Perfection!
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Grilled Lamb Chops to Perfection.
And for more Great Tips! …check out our post on How To Grill Steak Perfectly!
Yield: 2
Filet Mignon with Cognac Peppercorn Sauce

Filet Mignon with Cognac Peppercorn Sauce. These filet mignons are seasoned with peppercorns and salt, then grilled to your personal taste and served with a creamy cognac peppercorn sauce. An easy French classic dish always makes a big impression and always turns out very delicious!
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Total Time
15 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 lean Filet Mignon steaks (about 1.5 -inches thick)
- 1 Tbsp. mixed peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- olive oil cooking spray
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, and extra
Cognac Peppercorn Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 small shallots or one small onion-finely chopped
- 1/3 cup Cognac
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. or more beef stock (optional)
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Scatter some salt and peppercorns onto each steak, and press down on the peppercorns so that it adheres well, and set aside at room temperature to warm up for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the cream sauce. Using a medium-size non-stick skillet, add the butter and shallots and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon until softened. Add the Cognac and one teaspoon of peppercorns to the skillet. Simmer for a minute or two until it reduces.
- Pour in heavy cream and simmer on lowest heat, stirring until it thickens about 5 minutes. BE careful NOT to bring to a boil (to prevent it from curdle).
- Turn off heat. As the cream sauce sits, it will continue to thicken. If the sauce becomes too thick, just stir in some beef stock, about 1 to 2 tablespoons to reach the desired consistency.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet or a cast-iron skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot, spray it generously with cooking spray and add the steaks, peppercorn side down.
- Cook the filet mignon steaks for about 3 to 4 minutes, depending on how rare or medium you prefer. Add the butter on top of each one and flip over the steaks to cook on the other side for the additional 3 to 4 minutes. Top with another slice of butter on top.
- Remove steaks and transfer to a warm serving platter or to individual dinner plates.
- Spoon creamy peppercorn sauce over the filet mignon steaks.
- Serve immediately.
- Serves 2
7 Comments
The Perfect Pan-Seared Filet Mignon – Handmade in the Heartland
September 2, 2020 at 5:36 pm[…] Peppercorn Sauce:Â Try a shallot and peppercorn cream sauce. Recipe HERE. […]
Greg Zyn
July 30, 2020 at 3:41 amFilet mignon with cognac peppercorn sauce is something that I want to make at home soon, but I am not sure if I can make this dish well. I’ll have to get some help from my friends so I don’t mess this up.
by Anna and Liz
July 30, 2020 at 2:25 pmHi Greg, If you have never made it before, you may consider purchasing a meat thermometer to assist you. Then you can’t mess it up. I hope this helps!
2 sisters recipes
April 17, 2019 at 10:43 pmThank you Susan for your sweet comment! I guess I got lucky with this one. 🙂 Have a great week!
sue | the view from great island
April 17, 2019 at 8:35 pmThis has been on my to-make list forever, and you’ve done it perfectly! It’s an art to photographing steak, and you are right on, loving it!!
Susan
April 17, 2019 at 3:43 pmWe love beef tenderloin! It’s so perfect for entertaining so I’m happy to have another delicious recipe in try.
2sisters recipes
April 17, 2019 at 7:37 pmThank you so much Susan!! Have a wonderful day!