Steak Frites

Making Steak Frites

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1. Take the steaks out of the fridge 45 minutes ahead, salt them generously on all sides and leave uncovered on a rack. The salt draws out moisture, then reabsorbs it as seasoned brine.

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2. Rinse the cut potatoes under cold water until it runs clear, then simmer them in salted water for 5 minutes until just tender at the edges. Drain and dry thoroughly on a rack for 20 minutes.

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3. Heat the oil to 140°C / 285°F and fry the potatoes in two batches for 6 minutes until pale and floppy. Lift out and cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes.

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4. Pat the steaks bone dry with kitchen paper and season with pepper. Heat a heavy pan over high heat until it just begins to smoke, then add the oil.

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5. Sear the steaks for 2.5 minutes without moving them, flip, and sear 2 minutes more. Add the butter, garlic and thyme, tilt the pan and baste continuously for 60 seconds.

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6. Transfer to a warm plate and rest for 8 minutes, loosely tented. Resting lets the muscle fibres relax and reabsorb their juices.

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7. Meanwhile raise the oil to 190°C / 375°F and fry the chips again for 3 to 4 minutes until deep gold and audibly crisp. Drain and salt immediately while glistening.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

8. Slice the steak against the grain, spoon over the resting juices and pan butter, and serve with the frites.

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Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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Tips for Making Steak Frites

• A thermometer is worth more than instinct: pull the steak at 52°C / 126°F for medium-rare, remembering it will climb 3 to 4 degrees while resting.
• Cool the chips completely between fries. Skipping this step is why home chips go limp.
• Salt the chips the second they leave the oil, while the surface is still wet enough to hold it.

Changing the Recipe

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the stand-in usually given when you are out of fresh garlic; it will not brown the same way, and it burns easily, so add it with the liquid.

Serving Suggestions

• A Bordeaux or a peppery Syrah
• A green salad with Dijon vinaigrette, and béarnaise if you are feeling generous
• Crème brûlée to finish

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Provençal Ratatouille, French Baguette, Fougasse.

Storing & Reheating Steak Frites

Steak keeps 3 days and is best eaten cold in a sandwich rather than reheated. Chips do not keep — fry only what you will eat.

Steak Frites: Questions and Answers

The Numbers per Serving

No nutrition figures are given for this recipe: they cannot be worked out reliably from its ingredient list (some ingredient lines cannot be read). Why some recipes have none.

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