Easy Steak Frites

Steak Frites is a classic meal of "steak and fries" that's simple yet scrumptious. This version features succulent ribeyes basted in herb butter atop lightened-up roasted potatoes for a home-cooked dinner that's impressive and special for being so easy to make!

 

This content was sponsored by Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. All opinions and text are my own.

Have you ever whipped up a restaurant-quality meal at home that was deceptively quick and easy to make? A recipe fancy enough to serve to guests yet speedy enough for a weeknight dinner? A meal that would be well suited for a steakhouse or a European bistro but instead came out of your very own kitchen? Well, say hello to just such a recipe...Steak Frites!

Steak Frites History

Steak Frites is a French term that, quite literally translated, means "steak [and] fries." The English pronunciation of the phrase varies, but it's typically pronounced either "stayk freet" or "stayk freets." And while this delicious combo is enjoyed in cafes and bistros all over the world -- from Belgium to France to Brazil -- different regions put their own spin on the specifics of the beef + potatoes + pan juices concept.

The Steaks

I developed this Steak Frites recipe using Open Prairie® Natural* Meats Case Ready Beef Ribeyes (*minimally processed, no artificial ingredients).

I love the convenience of being able to grab high-quality, pre-packaged steaks straight out of the meat case at the grocery store. Not having to wait in line for the butcher saves me time, yet I still know exactly what I'm getting as far as consistent size and fantastic quality when it comes to Open Prairie Natural beef.

And since Open Prairie Natural beef comes from responsibly raised animals without the use of antibiotics or added hormones, I feel good about feeding it to my family! Plus, have I mentioned how juicy and tender these ribeyes turn out?

The Fries

To make my version of Steak Frites as quick and effortless as possible, I opted to roast my potatoes instead of frying them.

I've found that by cutting my potatoes into nice, small, uniform cubes, they cook up with minimal effort, yielding crispy, golden exteriors with fluffy, pillowy interiors. Plus, you don't have the mess (or extra calories) of frying in oil.

Most importantly, these faux "frites" are the perfect receptacle for soaking up the pan juices from the succulent steaks!

As far as variety of potato, I used russets, but Yukon Golds would work beautifully as well.

Other Ingredients

So in addition to the Open Prairie Natural ribeyes and the roasted potatoes, what else does this Steak Frites recipe require?

• Oil. I prefer olive oil to coat the cubed potatoes for roasting and avocado oil for pan-cooking the ribeyes. Avocado oil has a nice, high smoke point, which reduces the odds of smoking up your kitchen while your steaks sear. If you don't have avocado oil, just be sure to choose another oil with a comparably high smoke point, such as safflower or sunflower oil.

• Salt. You'll need salt for your potatoes, your steaks, and the herb butter. I prefer kosher salt to season the steaks and fine sea salt to flavor the potatoes and herb butter.
• Pepper. Once again necessary for seasoning each component of this Steak Frites recipe. I recommend freshly ground black pepper for the boldest flavor.
• Butter. Unsalted and at room temperature, which will allow you to flavor it into a decadent herb butter.
• Garlic + herbs. Also necessary for making herb butter. 😉 I pressed my garlic and used parsley, thyme, and rosemary, but you can tweak the herbs to your liking.

How to Make Steak Frites

(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)

You won't believe how quickly you can throw together this scrumptious, restaurant-quality meal!

Prepare the Herb Butter

1. Add the softened butter, minced garlic, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper to a small bowl.
2. Stir until well combined and set aside.

Prepare the Frites

1. Preheat the oven, line a sheet pan with parchment paper, and peel and cube your potatoes.
2. Place the cubed potatoes in a large, plastic, zip-top bag (or a bowl, if you prefer), drizzle with EVOO, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Seal the bag and shake (or stir in the bowl) until the potatoes are evenly coated.
4. Spread out the potatoes on a baking sheet, pop in the oven, and roast while you work on the steaks, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

Prepare the Open Prairie Natural Steaks

1. Preheat a large, heavy skillet over a medium-high burner for about 5 minutes.
2. While the pan is heating, pat the steaks dry and generously season on both sides with salt and pepper.

3. Add avocado oil to the hot pan and carefully lay the steaks in the pan.
4. Cook the ribeyes for 1 minute and then flip.
5. Cook on the second side for 1 minute and flip again.

6. Add some herb butter to the pan, tilt the pan, and baste the steaks for a minute.
7. Flip again and baste the second side for a minute.
8. Continue flipping and basting every minute until the centers of the ribeyes reach your desired temperature on an instant-read thermometer, remembering that the internal temperature will continue rise about five more degrees when the steaks rest.
9. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board, top with additional herb butter, loosely cover with foil, and allow to rest for five minutes.

10. While the steaks are resting, remove the now golden-brown potatoes from the oven.
11. Serve immediately by plating roasted potatoes and sliced steak with plenty of herb butter spooned on top.

A Note on Cooking Time

The exact cooking time for your steaks will depend not only on their thickness, but also on your stove, your pan, and your desired final temperature.

Just keep in mind that Open Prairie Natural steaks are 1-inch thick and will cook pretty fast. Mine took 4 to 6 minutes total in a heavy cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat.

Also remember that you can always add more time to an underdone steak, but you can't fix an overcooked one!

I highly advise inserting an instant-read thermometer into the side of the ribeyes, pushing into the center. Remove the steaks from the pan when they reach 125°F, assuming you're going for medium-rare (which I do recommend for this recipe).

And again, the temperature will continue to rise about 5 more degrees as the steaks rest.

Here are general temps for doneness levels of beef steaks:

Rare	120-130°F
Medium Rare	130-135°F
Medium	135-145°F
Medium Well	145-155°F
Well Done	155°F+

Serving Size

For the nutritional calculations on the recipe card, the serving size of this Steak Frites recipe is one steak plus one potato per person.

Alternatively, for lighter appetites, you could double the potato part of the recipe, slice the steaks, and serve each person a quarter of the total potatoes plus half of a sliced steak.

Tips, Tricks, & Equipment

• For timing purposes, it’s important to have all ingredients ready to go before beginning to make the recipe.
• Make sure your potato cubes aren’t too big or they won’t finish cooking by the time the steaks are done.
• For the best sear, steaks should be cooked in a heavy pan that can reach and retain high temperatures. A cast iron skillet is the gold standard, but a carbon steel or heavy stainless steel fry pan will also work.
• After basting the steaks on both sides with butter, continue flipping them every minute until they reach your desired temperature. An instant-read thermometer is key here.
• You will have extra Garlic Herb Butter left over. Serve it with your Steak Frites, spread it on rolls, or make garlic bread with it. Or, if you prefer no leftover butter, you can make a half recipe of Garlic Herb Butter and use a little less on the steaks.

So the next time you're looking to throw together an impressive, gourmet, home-cooked meal in under an hour, look no further than Steak Frites! This recipe would be perfect for entertaining, for an at-home date night, or to celebrate any special occasion.

And you never even have to tell a soul how easy it was to make! 😉