# Steak au poivre without Cognac **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 8, 2015, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532 "2015-05-08T05:45:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532/21 "2015-05-08T16:53:42Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > you realize that heart disease is caused by genetics and/or long-term lifestyle factors, right? > > people need to stop acting like you’ll have a heart attack just from looking at butter. And, besides, it’s still cream, just fermented a bit. Should be about the same in calories and fat, but that may vary by brand. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532/22 "2015-05-08T17:01:28Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Mmmm…bearnaise. Good suggestion One of my favorite accompaniments for steak. Can be a tricky if you’ve never done it before, but if the OP is interested in it, they should look up the blender method to keep things easy. [A recent recipe](http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017389-bearnaise-sauce) on the NYT. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532/23 "2015-05-08T17:21:57Z")
> [@Oedipus](#): > > Steak au poivre without Cognac Then it wouldn’t be Steak au poivre. Here’s an idea. Invite an older friend over for dinner (or is it supper?). Tell them to bring a bottle of _Christian Brothers VS Brandy_ (smooth, tasty, and inexpensive) and you’ll make the Steak au poivre. The alcohol will be burned off during the cooking process, so even the most ardent funsucker shouldn’t have a problem enjoying a free meal. ---
**Author:** ![Saturn\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Saturn\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saturn_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532/24 "2015-05-09T01:57:40Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It’s fine without the cognac. You can deglaze the pan with beef stock if you want. Yes, it’ll be a bit different, but it’s still good. I’ve made it without brandy or cognac many times. Not to be pedantic, but the purpose of the Cognac in Steak au Poivre is not to deglaze, but to impart aroma and flavour through caramelization of residual sugars via a flambé. If you deglaze, you will ruin the colour of the cream sauce and get a stronger concentrate because of the increased cooking time that is necessary to burn off the alcohol compared to when you flambé it. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532/25 "2015-05-09T03:19:10Z")
> [@JustinC](#): > > I think that would be if the steak is pork, although never tried. > > OP, you can make an okay pepper sauce without booze, but if you’re wanting to impress another I’d really try to get a small amount in. IANAL, but if you decanted some from a friend or relative’s bottle, I don’t _think_ you’re breaking any laws. When you’re cooking with booze the alcohol content should all evaporate away, so you shouldn’t be accused of trying to get your dinner date drunk. > > But don’t listen to me, I’m a Brit and being constantly smashed in your late teens is the law [It](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_with_alcohol) is [not](http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/AlcoholCooking.htm) really [true](http://io9.com/5971679/does-cooking-alcohol-really-de-booze-your-dishes) that [alcohol](http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/11/22/cooking-with-booze/) “cooks away.” IANAL/IANALEO, check your local laws, but many US states don’t make it illegal for minors to consume alcohol at home or in certain settings. [This page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_consumption_by_youth_in_the_United_States) has a map, but I don’t know if it is up to date (from 2007 it looks). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532/26 "2015-05-09T04:53:33Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > The correct answer is, it is okay to omit the cognac/brandy/calvados etc as the OP is only 20. Too young to buy any kind of alcohol. > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > It would be illegal for a friend who is at least 21 buy a small bottle of cognac for you, so I can’t suggest that here. In fact, I am specifically _not_ suggesting any sort of illegal activity, such as having an older friend get you the sauce. Not necessarily. As with anything that is state law instead of federal,[it’s more complicated than that](http://drinkingage.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=002591). ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532/27 "2015-05-09T11:26:13Z")
It is really true that most of the alcohol cooks away. Unless you are an alcoholic who might be triggered by the flavor, or have a weird allergy, there’s not usually enough alcohol left in this sort of dish to worry about. But yes, in many states there are ways for you to get legal access to the booze, such as having your parents around. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532/28 "2015-05-09T15:07:01Z")
[This link](http://www.yummly.com/recipes/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac)may or may not be of interest to you, OP (annoying site warning, you have to create an account) Honestly, and I speak as a French guy, I had no idea cognac was supposed to be involved at any point. The combination of peppercorn and meat flavour usually drown everything else as far as I’m concerned. But then, I’m a very poor specimen of French. I don’t drink wine or eat stanky cheese, for starters. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532/29 "2015-05-09T15:26:55Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > I’m a very poor specimen of French. I don’t drink wine or eat stanky cheese, for starters. How about french fries? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532/30 "2015-05-09T18:34:14Z")
> [@Saturn\_Dreams](#): > > Not to be pedantic, but the purpose of the Cognac in Steak au Poivre is not to deglaze, but to impart aroma and flavour through caramelization of residual sugars via a flambé. If you deglaze, you will ruin the colour of the cream sauce and get a stronger concentrate because of the increased cooking time that is necessary to burn off the alcohol compared to when you flambé it. Sure, but if you’re skipping the Cognac, then I would deglaze, using beef stock. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-au-poivre-without-cognac/719532.md?page=1)