This Bourbon Peppercorn Sauce is rich, not overly creamy and packs a punch! Perfect for your steaks and burgers and so easy to make too!
Updated: This post was first published here in December 2015. I decided it was worthy of a reshare because it is a super popular recipe here at the BHK. The content remains the same, yet I’ve tweaked the recipe a smidge and updated the photos and notes to the post below.
Since today is Tom’s actual birthday, I wanted to share a recipe that was one of his favorites. It was easy to decide on this Bourbon Peppercorn Sauce. He totally loves it. When it comes to butter for his bread and peppercorn sauce for his steak Tom is not a sharer. He would honestly drink this stuff through a straw if I let him!
I have to say it’s a favorite of mine too. It comes together quickly and is perfect served with a filet (Tom’s favorite) or a strip steak (my favorite). It’s also fabulous over mashed potatoes alongside the steak.
Bourbon Peppercorn Sauce Ingredients
•filet mignons
•shallots
•garlic
•whole peppercorns (I use a peppercorn melange)
•bourbon
•beef broth
•granulated sugar
•heavy cream
•butter
•Wondra flour
This sauce is rich, but not overly creamy and it packs a punch! I use a colorful medley of black, white, pink and green peppercorns and a touch of bourbon that gives it such a zesty flavor! If you happen to serve beef for the holiday this would be the perfect sauce to serve with it. I think your family and friends will just love it just as much as Tom does. Enjoy your week and see you back at the BHK on Thursday!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Bourbon Peppercorn Sauce Recipe:
This is one of the most popular recipes here at the BHK. I tweaked the recipe by adding 2 tablespoons of Wondra flour late in the recipe to thicken the sauce up. A few people had mentioned they would enjoy a thicker sauce and after I gave the Wondra flour a try, I agreed. I thought two tablespoons worked perfectly, but you can add as much as you’d like depending on your preference.
The sauce is fabulous on steaks, burgers and mashed potatoes. It gets such great flavor when you cook the filets or even burgers in the skillet before making the actual sauce. The drippings from the meat amp up the flavor trememdously.
- 4 6-oz. filet mignons
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/3 cup shallots, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. peppercorn medley, crushed gently with a mortar and pestle, do not totally grind
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. Wondra flour, for thickening
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Sprinkle top and bottom of filets with salt and pepper.
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Heat olive oil in cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
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Add the filets and cook about 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked to your liking. Remove from skillet and place on plate covered with foil.
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In the same skillet, lower heat to medium and add shallots and garlic. Cook until shallots and garlic soften, about 5 minutes adding extra olive oil if needed.
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Add peppercorns to the shallots and continue to cook for 2-4 minutes.
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Pour in the bourbon to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
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Stir in the beef broth and sugar and continue to cook for about 4 minutes.
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Whisk in heavy cream and then add butter until well combined.
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If you like your sauce a little thicker, remove a few tablespoons full of the sauce to a small bowl and whisk in 2 tablespoons Wondra flour until smooth. Add it to the sauce in the skillet and whisk until smooth. Continue to cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat to a serving pitcher.
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Serve over filets.
Oh this sounds right up my alley, because you know – BOURBON! Ha ha. I can see how this sauce would make any steak seem extra special. Glad you had a nice weekend away. We had gorgeous weather here as well. Hard to believe it’s December! Feels more like October around here!
I thought you might like it Liz! Enjoy your week!
We made this bourbon peppercorn sauce for our filets for the Kentucky Derby Dinner. Very tasty. Delicious. Sides were dutchess potatoes and caprese salad. Desert was chocolate bourbon pecan pie. Your menu sounds delicious!
So happy you enjoyed it Judy! It’s such a popular recipe here at the BHK. So delicious on burgers too! And mashed potatoes!
You must have known I would LOVE this sauce, Mary Ann, because heck yes to ALL things bourbon! I feel like me and this sauce would be like your hubs and this sauce, lemme drink it with a straw! This looks so velvety, smooth and packed with flavor! Now I am craving steak, taters and this sauce for breakfast! Pinned! Cheers, my dear!
P.s. your weekend sounded marvelous!! Xo
Thanks so much Cheyanne! Yes, it was so nice to take a little break! I kind of threw Tom under the bus with this one because I could drink it through a straw too! Have a great week friend!
I could definitely drink this sauce, too :) I’ll have to pick up a nice steak soon just to try this. Hubbie will be pleased, especially!
Me too Jennifer! It makes that filet or steak even better! Have a great week!
My husband doesn’t like sauce but I do and your peppercorn bourbon sauce looks fantastic. Deglazing a sauce with booze always adds a kick. Have a great week Mary Ann.
Then there will be more for you Gerlinde!! You enjoy your week too!
Everything is better with bourbon! This sauce would certainly be terrific for a holiday dinner! I love the colorful peppercorns you used to make it even more festive!
You’re exactly right Rachelle! Thanks so much! Enjoy your week!
Happy birthday to Tom and a belated happy birthday to you, Mary Ann. I’ve never thought of using pepper sauce as a topping for mash potatoes – but that sounds like a wonderful, kicky sauce to take the potatoes to the next level. And a little bourbon is always a great addition to any sauce!
Thank you Geraldine! I totally agree! When I make it for Tom he puts it on everything on the plate!
yes please! i love that this sauce can be paired with different cuts of steak…we differ with our faves in this house too. can’t think of a better way to say happy birthday!
Thanks Cathy! Have a great week!
Oh wow! Something you should know about me — I’m a pepper addict. I put pepper on EVERYTHING. Even things that don’t really need pepper. I can’t wait to slather this all over steak and potatoes later this week. Thank you for sharing! I will be sure to share on social later this week!
Thanks so much for sharing Lauren! If you love pepper, you’re going to love this sauce!
Hhahah you had me at bourbon too!! Now, I just want to eat salad for every meal :)
Ha! Hope you enjoy Zainab!
What a wonderful post — my husband and I are pepper fanatics, and I can imagine this sauce on so many different things…I LOVE your photos!
Thanks so much Sue! So are we! It’s definitely a favorite at our house!
What a delicious sauce! I can see why your husband would love it. I need to try it, how good would it be on a steak!
Oh it really is Jess! Enjoy!
Ohhhh, Mary Ann!! The Eastern Shore? Oh my… did you stay on the ocean or bay side? I studied out there for weeks while in College and Rob and I traveled there as often as we could when we lived in Virginia. Such a beautiful and inspiring place! So happy you were able to reschedule your trip.. worth the wait! Happy birthday to Tom! This sauce sounds quite delicious and I can imagine how the flavors make anything better that you’d put this on. That peppercorn shot is gorgeous!! Thank you for this Mary Ann!
Oh, it was just fabulous Traci! We stayed in St. Michael’s, so the bay side. It was so much fun. We rode bikes, enjoyed delicious food, cocktailed, and the weather could not have been better! Thank you so much for the birthday wishes for Tom! He really enjoyed himself!
Happy late birthday to your hubby! This sauce sounds delightful on so many things.
Thanks so much Nicole! It really is!
What a great looking sauce, love the combination of peppercorns and bourbon. I just bought some steak during my weekly grocery haul and I just found the perfect sauce for it! Pinned and saved for later recreation.
Great! I hope you enjoy. It’s a favorite at our house for sure!
I just made this for dinner tonight, it seems that my sauce is very thin. I followed the recipe exactly so I’m not sure where I went wrong.Any ideas or comments would be appreciated.
Hi Tam. This isn’t really a thick sauce. If you want it thicker, next time, whisk in a bit of wondra flour to thicken it up if you like.
I wish I read the last comment before making this. I would have liked this sauce thicker as well. We could not taste it at all. Put it on top of Vension steaks and mashed potatoes. I even did a taste test with a spoon from the pan and it really didn’t have any flavor. I couldn’t taste any bourbon (which I really dislike) and no pepper taste as well. I may try again and whisking some flour in to thicken.
Hi Nadina. I’m so disappointed you didn’t enjoy the sauce. Did you crush some of the peppercorns as recommended in the recipe? I was worried people would think it was too peppery. The sauce is not a really thick sauce, so next time add the Wondra if you’d like it thicker.
This sounds amazing! I love sauces. Is there anything else besides bourbon I could use as a substitute? I never buy or drink bourbon, now give me a glass of wine and I’m hooked!
You don’t need to add the bourbon Dawn. I think it would taste delicious with marsala cooking wine. You can purchase that at your local market. Enjoy!
Hi! This sounds amazing. Does it keep well? Can I freeze it? Thank you
Thanks so much Naomi. I have never frozen this sauce, but I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able too. If you like your sauce thicker, just whisk in some Wondra flour to get to the desired consistency. Enjoy!
What a great recipe !!!
I have a recipe for pepper sauce, from a great French chef, and instead of Bourbon we put Cognac, it’s fabulous …
The difference with your recipe is that after cooking, the beef tenderloins are set aside.
We put the Patrelle aroma (reduction of grilled onions it is a thick sauce) 1/2 teaspoon, add pepper, turn and add 1 tablespoon of double cream per fillet of beef. Bring to a boil at low broth to thicken the sauce and pour directly over the beef fillets, on a tempered plate + side dish …
I’ve been a vegetarian for 30 years, but gladly do it for our friends. Now I’m going to try Bourbon American style and guess it will be delicious … Thanks Mary
The French recipe sounds delicious! Hope you enjoy this American version!
What a richly flavorful, silky sauce! Perfect for mashed potatoes and/or a juicy steak. Definitely trying this!
It’s one of Tom’s all time favorite sauces Marissa! He smothers his steak and mashed potatoes with it!
This sauce sounds so good! I’d love to smother a pile of mashed potatoes with this!!
We love it Katherine!!
I love this idea, Mary Ann! I can’t imagine any combination of flavors to make the perfect sauce for a steak – and Im with you – I’ll take the Strip Steak for sure! Add some mashed potatoes or maybe some sourdough bread to dip in that sauce….. My goodness, YUM!
You’d really enjoy it Laura!
I’m absolutely thrilled you are re-sharing this sauce, Mare, because I needed a friendly reminder to get this in my life pronto!!! I’m going to make a triple batch, because I may need to go ahead and bathe in some of it! ;) Can’t wait!
Lol! You’re hilarious Chey!