For Killer Steak au Poivre, Divide and Conquer | The story I'm telling today is about France's classic steak au poivre—pan-seared, peppercorn-crusted steaks with a creamy pan sauce. More specifically, it's about how to cook it. First, I want to assure you that it's easy, despite the fancy-sounding name and legendary status. It's more or less like any seared-meat-and-pan-sauce recipe, just with a spicy crust added.