Steak Frites
Quick answer
- Total time
- 45 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Steak frites pairs a butter-basted sirloin steak with double-fried potatoes, a combination that defines the French bistro experience.
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The potatoes are cut into sticks, soaked in cold water for 15 minutes to wash off surface starch - this prevents them from sticking together during frying and gives a cleaner fry. The first fry at 160 degrees Celsius cooks the interior until tender, and after cooling, a second fry at 190 degrees turns the outside crisp and golden while the inside stays fluffy. The steak is seasoned only with salt and pepper, seared hard in a hot pan, then basted with butter, garlic, and thyme for a final minute before resting for five minutes off heat. Despite the short ingredient list, the dish demands precise heat control - the sear must be aggressive enough to crust the meat, and the oil temperatures for double-frying must be accurate.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Cut 500 g potatoes into 1 cm sticks and soak them in cold water for 15 minutes.
When the water turns cloudy from starch, rinse briefly, then dry every surface thoroughly to prevent splattering in the oil.
- 2Heat
Heat 700 ml grapeseed oil to 160C and add the dried potatoes without crowding.
Fry for 5 to 6 minutes to cook the centers, not to brown them, then remove them while pale and let them cool.
- 3Control
Pat 360 g sirloin completely dry, then season it evenly with salt and black pepper.
Heat the pan over high heat until very hot, and place the steak down only when it sizzles immediately on contact.
- 4Step
Sear the steak hard for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until a brown crust forms.
Move it as little as possible during searing, because frequent turning weakens the crust and slows browning.
- 5Season
Add 20 g unsalted butter, 2 garlic cloves, and 2 thyme sprigs to the pan.
Spoon the melted butter over the steak for 1 minute, then take it off the heat and rest it for 5 minutes.
- 6Finish
Raise the oil to 190C and fry the potatoes again for 2 to 3 minutes.
When the outside turns golden and crisp, drain them, season with salt, slice the rested steak, and serve both while hot.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Two-stage frying at 160C then 190C crisps the frites alongside butter-basted sirloin rested five minutes.
- Finish cue
- When the outside turns golden and crisp, drain them, season with salt, slice the rested steak, and serve both while hot.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
45min, 8 ingredients
Category median
40min, 8 ingredients
Based on 168 recipes
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