This was my first time trying to create a peppercorn steak recipe (also known as Steak au Poivre). Typically when I use pepper I only use 1/4 teaspoon or less, because peppercorn is a powerful spice, but they serve Steak au Poivre in steakhouses so it made me want to give it a try. I chose to make a balsamic sauce because I wanted to use ingredients I already had on hand and I had a bottle of balsamic vinegar in my fridge.

Different Kinds of Steak.

I share a lot of recipes with meat in them on MPM because protein helps to keep me full over the long-haul and lean cuts of meat are low in smart points. Of course, when you look for steak in the store you will find LOTS of different kinds of steak and if you look up “steak” in the WW app you will get lots of different types with lots of different SP values. I’ve talked about this before in my “best steak ever” recipe (still my favorite way to make steak). You can read about different types of steak here. It may seem obvious, but what it will come down to is that you will want to find steak with as little white as possible when you are trying to find steak that is low in smart points.

Salt and Pepper Grinders.

Because peppercorn is the main ingredient in Steak au Poivre, let’s talk about grinders real quick. I have the older version of the Salt and Pepper Grinders/Shakers by Pampered Chef. The nice thing about the Pampered Chef grinders is that they allow you adjust from fine to coarse grinding, so you have some control over the size of your pepper.

This comes in handy for recipes like this one where you would traditionally use more coarsely ground peppercorn. If you don’t have a grinder you can use the back of a spoon to crack the peppercorns. Most grocery stores have at least one Peppercorn Grinder in their seasoning section.  You don’t have to get an expensive grinder set like the Pampered Chef ones that are currently selling for $62.50! An example of one you can order on Amazon that has a tab you can rotate to change the coarseness is this OXO Pepper Grinder… (The one pictured below is currently selling on Amazon for $16.04.)

Here is what you need to make this peppercorn steak:

4 (4 ounce) Lean Steaks, about 1 inch thick
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 teaspoons cracked mixed peppercorns
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 small shallot
1/2 cup fat-free beef broth
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 tablespoon butter

Here is what you do:

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steaks with salt and peppercorns.

Add oil to the pan and steaks. Cook steak for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Chop shallots while steak is cooking.

Remove steaks from the pan. Add shallots to pan. Cook one minute.

Stir in broth and vinegar. Mix as the sauce cooks, approximately 2 minutes.

Add butter and mix in. Turn heat off.

Put 4 ounces steak onto 4 plates and top each with 1-1/2 tablespoons of the sauce.

Makes 4 servings.
One serving is 1 steak and 1-1/2 tablespoons sauce.
One serving is 6 Green, 6 Blue, and 6 Purple Points.

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If you like this recipe, you will love the eBook meal plan that includes this recipe. It is designed in a very easy-to-use format and includes a grocery list. You can purchase this meal plan eCookbook here.