Steak Frites at Home
Introduction
Steak frites is the French bistro classic of a seared steak served with crisp fries, usually with a sauce or a knob of butter on the side.
At home, a grass-fed porterhouse is the steak to choose. It is the Australian name for the New York strip used in most overseas recipes, with a firm, beefy bite and a strip of fat that crisps in a hot pan.
The chips are cooked twice, first gently until tender, then hot until golden, and the timeline in this recipe gets a rested steak and hot chips to the table together.
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Also Featured in This Recipe
Ingredients
For 2 servings
- 2 x 250ggrass fed porterhouse steaksabout 2.5cm thick, cut from a whole striploin
- 700gfloury potatoessuch as Sebago or Russet, peeled
- 2 litrescanola or rice bran oilfor deep frying
- 1 tbsphigh smoke point oilfor the steaks
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepperto season
- 20gbutter
- 2garlic cloveslightly crushed
- 2thyme sprigs
- pepper sauce or béarnaise sauceto serve
- 2 handfulswatercress or mixed salad leaves
- 1 tspextra virgin olive oilwith a squeeze of lemon (salad)
Utensils
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- Large heavy-based deep saucepan or deep fryer
- Frying thermometer
- Digital probe thermometer
- Heavy frying pan
- Wire spider or slotted spoon
- Wire racks and paper towel
- Clean tea towel
- Sharp knife and chopping board
Cooking Steps
Cut and soak the chips
Cut the potatoes into 1cm thick batons, rinse them, then soak in cold water for 30 minutes to remove surface starch. Take the steaks out of the fridge at the same time. Drain the chips and dry them very thoroughly on a clean tea towel.
First fry
Pour the oil into a large, heavy deep saucepan, no more than one-third full, and heat it to 150C on a frying thermometer. Fry the chips in 2 batches for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still pale. Lift them onto a wire rack and leave them to cool for at least 15 minutes.
Sear the steaks
Season the steaks well. Heat a heavy frying pan over high heat with the 1 tbsp oil until smoking and sear the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes per side, then hold them on the fat edge for a minute to render it. In the final minute, add the butter, garlic and thyme and spoon the foaming butter over. Pull them when the centre reads 56 to 58C for medium rare.
Rest the steaks
Move the steaks to a wire rack, spoon over the pan butter and rest them for 8 to 10 minutes, while the centre climbs another 3 to 5C. This is when the chips get their second fry, so both are ready together.
Second fry
Reheat the oil to 190C and fry the chips in 2 batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack lined with paper towel and season with sea salt straight away.
Plate and serve
Dress the watercress with the olive oil and lemon. Slice the steaks across the grain, or serve them whole bistro style, with a generous pile of chips, the salad and a jug of pepper sauce or béarnaise.
Nutrition
Per Serving
Recipe serves 2Nutritional values are estimates only and may vary based on specific ingredients, brands, cuts, cooking method, and portion sizes. For medical or dietary purposes, please consult a qualified nutritionist.
Tips and Pairing
People Also Ask
What cut of meat is used for steak frites? +
Steak frites is usually made with a quick-cooking cut such as sirloin or rib eye. In French bistros it is often entrecôte, a rib steak, or faux-filet, the equivalent of our porterhouse. In Australia, porterhouse or scotch fillet are the best choices, cut about 2.5cm thick so they sear well, rest properly and stay juicy.
Why is it called steak frites? +
Steak frites is French for steak and fries, and the name simply describes the plate. What makes it special is the simplicity: a well-seared steak, properly crisp double-cooked chips and a good sauce, all served together. It is a long-standing staple of bistros in France and Belgium, which is why the French name has stuck.
Is steak frites healthy? +
Steak frites is an indulgent meal rather than an everyday health food, but it has its good points. The steak is a rich source of protein and iron, while deep-fried chips add most of the fat. Oven or air fryer chips, a trimmed porterhouse and a big green salad on the side make it a lighter plate.
What sauce goes with steak frites? +
Pepper sauce and béarnaise are the two classic sauces for steak frites. Pepper sauce brings creamy heat that suits a charred porterhouse, while béarnaise adds buttery tarragon richness. If you would rather skip the sauce, spoon garlic and thyme butter from the pan over the rested steak, or add a slice of herb butter just before serving.
How do you make chips crispy at home? +
Cook chips twice for the best crunch. Soak the cut potatoes in cold water to remove surface starch and dry them well, then fry at 150C until tender but still pale. Let them cool, then fry again at 190C until deep golden. The first fry cooks the centre and the second creates a crisp shell.
