The ultimate “meat & potatoes” recipe, Steak Frites features a perfectly pan-seared ribeye served with hot and crispy homemade French fries!
Steak Frites may sound fancy, but don’t let the name fool you! This simple, scrumptious recipe is another term for the absolute best “Steak & French Fries”! Using a tender, tasty beef ribeye and fresh-cut Russet potatoes, the incredible flavor of this hearty classic meal will become one of your all-time favorites!
Steakhouse Quality Meat and Potatoes!
Savory Steak Frites (“freets”) are simple, uncomplicated steak-and-potato goodness! This make-at-home recipe takes under an hour to make and far surpasses the quality of most steakhouses! (It’s so good!) Since there’s no restaurant markup, go ahead and splurge on a ribeye for the best flavor possible! This gorgeous piece of beef will be pan-fried in butter to give it seared brown edges and a juicy, tender middle.
Russet potatoes complete this recipe; double-frying is the secret to transforming them into the crispiest, lightly salted French fries ever!
Now, to honor the classic Steak Frites tradition, dip the fries in the buttery steak juices (or make your dipping sauce) and enjoy every bite!
Other Recipes to Serve with Steak Frites
- Cucumber Yogurt Dill Salad makes a refreshingly light and healthy starter for Steak Frites!!
- Chocolate and steak just naturally go together, making this Chocolate Lava Cake the perfect date night dessert!
Ingredients
Beef: Just about any steak will work for Steak Frites, but a better cut of beef will have more mouthwatering flavor—we’re using ribeye for this recipe!
Potatoes: Russet potatoes have a higher starch content, making delicious fries with just the right texture.
Oil: The ribeye sears in unsalted butter, and the fries are cooked in your favorite cooking oil (canola, vegetable, peanut).
Seasoning: Sea salt. That’s all you need for this simple, perfect meal!
How to Make Steak Frites
STEP ONE: Set the steak out to allow it to come to room temperature. Peel the potatoes (optional) and slice them into even 1/2-inch sticks. Place the potato sticks into a large ice bath for about 30 minutes. (This step will give you crispier fries!)
STEP TWO: Drain the potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels—heat 8 cups of oil in a large pot to 300 degrees F. At the same time, the oil is heated, so a drying station is set up by lining a baking sheet with paper towels and placing a wire rack on top.
STEP THREE: Add a batch of fries to the pot when the oil is hot. Full is fine, but don’t overfill. Remember, the oil temperature will drop when you put the cold fries into the oil. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the potatoes start to become golden. Scoop them out with a spider strainer or slotted spoon and transfer them to the drying rack. Repeat until all the fries have been cooked once. Let the fries rest for 10-15 minutes to cool slightly.
STEP FOUR: While the fries rest, pat the steak dry and salt it generously on both sides. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place the steak in the melted butter and sear it on one side for 4-5 minutes. Flip it over, lower the heat to medium, and cook the other side for 4-5 minutes. Place the steak on a platter, top with the remaining butter, and allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
STEP FIVE: Return the frying oil to 300 degrees F. Cook the fries again in the hot oil for about 2-3 minutes or until they’re the crispiness you desire. Scoop them back onto the drying rack and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining fries.
STEP SIX: Slice the steak into strips and divide it between two plates. Place half of the fries on each plate before serving warm as is or with your favorite sauces.
Tips for Success
- The steak should be at room temperature before cooking.
- A cast-iron skillet works the best for searing steak.
- Soaking the potatoes in an ice bath before cooking removes some of the sugar and starch and helps them get crispier.
- If you like your steak cooked medium-rare, reduce the cooking time on each side by 1 minute. If you like your steak medium-well, add 1 minute per side to the cooking time.
- Because nobody wants cold French fries, do the first round of frying the potatoes, cook the steak, and finish the fries while the steak rests.
- Utilize that leftover buttery steak juice in the pan to make a flavorful dipping sauce for the fries!
- Reheat refrigerated leftovers by searing the steak in a hot pan with oil and popping the fries into a 375-degree F oven for 5-7 minutes.
How Do You Pronounce Steak Frites?
Steak Frites sound like “stake freets” (not “fright”)! Frites (French fries or pomme frites) are the national snack of France and Belgium and are sold in shops and street carts called “fripperies.”
What are Steak Frites?
Steak Frites – literally “steak and fries” – is a rustic, comforting dish originating from France and Belgium. Various recipes are using different cuts of beef and featuring a variety of sauces. Still, high-quality simplicity is the way to go, which means a nice, thick pan-seared or grilled ribeye and homemade, twice-fried potatoes dipped in the butter and brown bits from the skillet. My favorite steak frites sauce is a peppercorn sauce, but blue cheese sauce, chimichurri, and bearnaise sauce are also great options.
Other Savory Steak Recipes
- Beef Bourguignon
- Grilled Ribeye Steaks
- Garlic Butter Steak and Mushrooms
- Beer Smoked Brisket
- Rosemary Steak Skewers with Balsamic Glaze
- Grilled Steak with Brandy Peppercorn Sauce
Equipment
- Spider Strainer or Slotted Spoon or Tongs
Ingredients
Fries
- Ice
- 3 pounds Russet potatoes (about 3 large)
- Canola, vegetable, or peanut oil for frying
- 1 teaspoon salt
Steak
- 1 pound ribeye steak (or one steak per person if you prefer)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divded
- Flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- If desired, peel the potatoes. Slice them into even 1/2-inch sticks and place them into a large ice bath. Soak the potatoes for at least 30 minutes, then drain the water and pat them dry. Set the steak(s) out so it can come up to room temperature while the potatoes soak.
- Heat about 6-10 cups oil in a dutch oven (or deep-sided pan) to 300 degrees F. Prepare a drying station for the fries once they come out of the oil by lining a baking sheet with paper towels and placing a wire rack over the towels.
- When the oil is ready, add a batch of fries to the pot. (It can be full but not overcrowded). Cook until they are just starting to become golden, about 5-7 minutes. The timing will vary depending on how much your oil drops in temperature – expect it to drop at least 20-30 degrees. Scoop the fries out with a spider strainer, place them on the drying rack, and repeat until all the fries have been fried once. Let the first batch of fries rest for at least 10-15 minutes to cool slightly. Leave the oil over the heat.
- While the fries are resting, season the steak with salt on both sides. Pat the steak dry and then season both sides with salt again.
- Place a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan. Once hot, cook and sear the steak for about 4-5 minutes. Then flip the steak and lower the heat to medium (or medium-low, depending on your stove/pan). Cook for another 4-5 minutes or until cooked to your desired doneness.
- While the steak cooks, check that the oil temperature has come back up to 300 degrees F. Cook the fries in the oil again, working in batches, for about 2-3 minutes or until your desired crispness is reached. Then, transfer them to the wire rack and season with salt. Repeat until all the fries are cooked.
- Transfer the steak to a platter or cutting board and top with the remaining butter, if desired. Allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes while the fries finish cooking. Then slice the steak into strips, divide it between two plates, and serve with the fries!
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