Sauce Poivrade
The science
The peppercorns are added near the end of the reduction and strained out, because pepper's piperine and aromatic oils turn harsh and bitter if cooked too long — a short steep extracts heat and fragrance without acridity. The vinegar and wine give a pungent, acidic backbone that stands up to strong meats. Poivrade is the pepper-forward brown sauce and the structural parent of the game sauces.
Flavor profile
A sharp reduction of vinegar/wine, mirepoix, and crushed peppercorns, simmered with demi-glace and strained.
Culinary uses
Game, venison, marinated and strong-flavored meats.
Reference notes
Parent: Demi-glace. Ingredient: black peppercorn / piperine. Direct child: Grand Veneur.
What goes wrong
Over-steeping the pepper (bitterness); under-straining (gritty texture).