Steak Frites

I had family over for this past Christmas holiday dinner. It is something that I always like to do, and I always enjoy cooking for others, and so this year I decided to make, once again, my garlic herb crusted New York strip roast. Hands down, this steak is just loaded with flavor and so tender it cuts like butter with a warm knife. I’ll admit I was even excited when I called to order it from our local butcher, Ray’s Butcher Shoppe. With that said, my goal was to make steak frites (literally steak and fries), but that is a challenging one to make for 13 people as I’m a big believer that when making homemade, twice cooked fries (the only way in my opinion), you need to serve them right away. So during the day, and as my wife fell ill to the flu, I cranked out relish dishes, a horseradish cream, chimichurri, caramelized onions, steak house mushrooms, and then decided on making a roasted garlic and rosemary  mashed potato, and a mixed green salad. Yeah, I was busy, but that did not discourage me from making steak frites the following day, yes, the following day for breakfast.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

• 1 New York Strip, cooked under medium
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 whole russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2 inch matchsticks
• Large bowl of cold water
• 6 cups of peanut oil, about 2 inches deep in a pot
• blue cheese crumbles, optional
• salt, to taste
• cracked black pepper to taste

As you can see from my photo, I have a bit of those mushrooms with onions and capers from the previous evening from my leftovers, as well as some of the horseradish cream sauce which I will post later this week, but those are entirely optional at this point. Recommended, yes, but optional.

Start by heating your pot on medium heat. Add the peanut oil, and if you have a cooking thermometer, now is a good time to use it by inserting the bulb into the oil. You are going to cook these fries in batches, a couple of times. While the oil heats up, take a handful of the cut potatoes, and place them on some paper towel, or towel, and pat them dry. You do not want water going into hot oil, EVER.

Once the oil comes to 350 degrees, add the handful of dry potatoes. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon, allowing the oil to drain back into the pot.

Place the first cooked potatoes into a paper towel lined bowl.

Let the oil come back up to temperature, 350 degrees, then repeat with the uncooked potatoes (pat them dry, add them to the oil).

Now let’s focus on that wonderful piece of beef.

To a large skillet, on medium heat, add the butter. Let this slowly start to melt, then add in your steak. Mine was already precooked, just under medium, so at this point I am warming it up with some of the butter, and glazing it along the way. I also like to toss in any fresh herbs I have laying around such as thyme or rosemary, just to infuse the steak with more flavor. If you do not have the leftover beef, simply start grilling it, or cooking it in your skillet and finish off in your oven until you are ready to plate.

The next step goes quickly. Once your steak is just about where you want it temperature wise, bring the oil back up to heat, but at this time, 375 degrees.

Once you have reached 375 degrees, add all of the fries, or if you want in batches, back to the oil. Cook for about 4 minutes or just until golden brown. Again, remove with a slotted spoon, or cooking spider, and add them to another paper towel lined bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper, and give them a good toss.

Now you are ready to plate. Add the steak and pan sauces to your plate. Load on the fries, and shower with blue cheese crumbles.

Dig in. Yeah, you might just be thinking steak and french fries, but this is where you go wrong. The flavor profile is out of this world. First you have super tender steak, and when eaten with the crisp exterior of the french fry, while being nice an creamy on the inside, well this is when it is a game changer. Don’t even get me started on the blue cheese crumble, and swiping a french fry or three into horseradish cream sauce! Next time you are looking for something other than a baked potato with your steak, think of steak frites, you will be sure to impress anyone! Hope you enjoy, and Happy New Year!