Gravies & stocks

Peppercorn Sauce

A creamy, peppery steak sauce with crushed black and green peppercorns, brandy and beef stock.

makes 21 cubes, about 17p each

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BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/sauces/peppercorn-sauce/

Illustration of a bowl of Peppercorn Sauce

Time: 25 min10 min prep · 15 min cook
Makes: 21 cubes
Cost per cubePer cube: 17p
Calories per cubeCalories: 86 kcal
A serving: 2 cubes
Spice: 2 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

cubes

3 (90g)shallots, finely chopped
10gblack peppercorns, crushed
20ggreen peppercorns in brine
50mlbrandy
1beef stock cube
300mlwater, to make up the stock
300mldouble cream
15gplain flour
20gbutter

Allergens: Gluten, Milk. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Use it for

Steak and chips for one · 2 cubes; Chicken breast with peppercorn sauce · 2 cubes; Pork chops · 2 cubes

Method

Step 1: Melt the butter over a medium heat and soften the shallots for 4 minutes. Add the peppercorns for 1 minute.
Step 2: Pour in the brandy and bubble for 1 minute.
Step 3: Stir in the flour, then gradually whisk in the stock. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Add the cream and simmer for 3 minutes until thick. Season.
Step 5: Cool, pour into 30ml trays and freeze.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per cube	86	0.6g	1.9g	7.8g	0.5g	0.24g
Per 2 cubes	172	1.2g	3.8g	15.6g	1g	0.48g

Cook’s notes

Thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm gently, whisking.
The flour helps the cream survive freezing.
Leave out the brandy and use extra stock if you prefer.

Use it for

Steak and chips for one · 2 cubes
Chicken breast with peppercorn sauce · 2 cubes
Pork chops · 2 cubes

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, freeze it in 30ml ice-cube trays, then bag and label the cubes. It keeps for 3 months.
Use from frozen: Thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm gently, whisking. Never refreeze thawed cubes.
A portion: 2 cubes is a serving: about 172 kcal.

Peppercorn Sauce questions

How finely should I crush the peppercorns?

Crush them coarsely in a pestle and mortar or under a rolling pin, so you get small pieces rather than powder. Finely ground pepper makes the sauce harsh and gritty.

Can I use crème fraîche instead of double cream?

Full-fat crème fraîche works and gives a slightly tangy sauce. Lower-fat versions are more likely to split when frozen and reheated.

Can I use the juices from the steak pan?

Melt the cubes in the pan you cooked the steak in and scrape up the browned bits as the sauce warms. They add a lot of extra flavour.