Mako Shark Steak Au Poivre

Mako shark has the dense, firm texture closest to beef of any fish in the ocean, which makes it a natural candidate for the classic French au poivre treatment usually reserved for filet. This recipe dresses thick shark slices in cracked black pepper, sears them in clarified butter, and finishes with a pan sauce of shallot, Cognac, cream and veal glaze.

The cracked pepper coating is what defines au poivre. Press the fish firmly into coarsely crushed peppercorns to create a proper crust that crisps during the sear. Don’t use fine-ground pepper, the bigger pieces are what give the crust texture and punch.

Clarified butter is the right fat here because it can handle the high heat needed to brown the pepper crust without scorching the milk solids (which regular butter has). The sear takes only 2 to 3 minutes per side, shark overcooks fast and goes from firm and juicy to dry and mealy in under a minute.

The pan sauce is classic French technique: deglaze with Cognac (carefully, it may flame), add cream, veal glaze and fish juices, reduce until it coats the back of a spoon. Straining before serving gives a smooth, glossy finish.

Chef Tips

• Pat the shark completely dry before dredging, damp fish steams the pepper crust away
• Crush peppercorns coarsely with a heavy pan or mortar, pre-ground pepper gives no texture
• Work in batches if your pan is crowded, steamed fish never gets the proper crust
• Reduce the sauce to nap-the-spoon consistency, runny sauce slides off the fish onto the plate
• Rest fish 1 minute before saucing, letting juices redistribute through the flesh

Variations

• Swap shark for swordfish or fresh tuna steaks, both have similar meaty texture
• Add a splash of green peppercorns in brine to the sauce for extra peppery punch
• Finish with a squeeze of lemon for a brighter, lighter pan sauce