Steak and Fries (Steak Frites)
A juicy, well-seared steak basted with garlic butter and thyme, served alongside crisp, golden double-fried potatoes. The classic brasserie plate, done right at home.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Cut and soak the potatoes
Cut the peeled potatoes into even sticks about 1 cm thick. Soak them in a bowl of cold water for 20–30 minutes; this rinses away extra starch so the fries crisp up instead of sticking together. Drain and pat completely dry with a towel before frying.
- 1 kg potatoes
✅ Done when: the water looks cloudy with starch and the potatoes are rinsed and bone-dry
First fry (blanch) the fries
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot to 150°C (300°F). Fry the potatoes in batches for 6–7 minutes, until they are tender when pierced but still pale and soft, not browned. Lift out with a slotted spoon and spread on a rack to cool; this first gentle fry cooks them through so the second fry can focus on colour and crunch.
- 1.5 litres oil (for the first fry)
- 1 kg potatoes (from step 1)
✅ Done when: the fries are soft and bend slightly, with no browning yet
Make the herb butter
While the fries cool, mash the softened butter with the parsley, lemon juice and a pinch of salt until evenly combined. Set aside at room temperature; it will melt into a glossy sauce over the hot steaks later.
- 50 g butter, softened
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
Second fry until golden
Raise the oil temperature to 180°C (350°F). Fry the cooled potatoes a second time, in batches, for 4–5 minutes until deep golden and crisp all over. Drain on paper towels and season with salt immediately, while they are still hot and the salt can stick.
- 1.5 litres oil (for the second fry)
- to taste salt
✅ Done when: the fries are deep golden brown and crackle when tapped
Sear the steaks
Pat the steaks dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat the neutral oil in a heavy pan over high heat until it shimmers, then sear the steaks for 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare, without moving them, so a deep brown crust forms. In the last minute, add the butter, garlic and thyme to the pan and tilt it to spoon the foaming butter over the steaks.
- 4 (about 200 g each) steaks
- to taste pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 40 g butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 sprigs thyme
✅ Done when: a deep brown crust has formed and the centre is springy; it will be rosy pink for medium-rare, so cook a little longer per side if you prefer it more done
Rest and serve
Transfer the steaks to a warm plate and let them rest for 5 minutes; this lets the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out when you cut it. Top each steak with a spoonful of herb butter and serve at once with a generous pile of hot fries.
- 50 g herb butter (from step 3)
✅ Done when: the butter is melting into a glossy pool over the steak
Cut and soak the potatoes
Cut the peeled potatoes into even sticks about 1 cm thick. Soak them in a bowl of cold water for 20–30 minutes; this rinses away extra starch so the fries crisp up instead of sticking together. Drain and pat completely dry with a towel before frying.
- 1 kg potatoes
✅ Done when: the water looks cloudy with starch and the potatoes are rinsed and bone-dry
First fry (blanch) the fries
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot to 150°C (300°F). Fry the potatoes in batches for 6–7 minutes, until they are tender when pierced but still pale and soft, not browned. Lift out with a slotted spoon and spread on a rack to cool; this first gentle fry cooks them through so the second fry can focus on colour and crunch.
- 1.5 litres oil (for the first fry)
- 1 kg potatoes (from step 1)
✅ Done when: the fries are soft and bend slightly, with no browning yet
Make the herb butter
While the fries cool, mash the softened butter with the parsley, lemon juice and a pinch of salt until evenly combined. Set aside at room temperature; it will melt into a glossy sauce over the hot steaks later.
- 50 g butter, softened
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
Second fry until golden
Raise the oil temperature to 180°C (350°F). Fry the cooled potatoes a second time, in batches, for 4–5 minutes until deep golden and crisp all over. Drain on paper towels and season with salt immediately, while they are still hot and the salt can stick.
- 1.5 litres oil (for the second fry)
- to taste salt
✅ Done when: the fries are deep golden brown and crackle when tapped
Sear the steaks
Pat the steaks dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat the neutral oil in a heavy pan over high heat until it shimmers, then sear the steaks for 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare, without moving them, so a deep brown crust forms. In the last minute, add the butter, garlic and thyme to the pan and tilt it to spoon the foaming butter over the steaks.
- 4 (about 200 g each) steaks
- to taste pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 40 g butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 sprigs thyme
✅ Done when: a deep brown crust has formed and the centre is springy; it will be rosy pink for medium-rare, so cook a little longer per side if you prefer it more done
Rest and serve
Transfer the steaks to a warm plate and let them rest for 5 minutes; this lets the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out when you cut it. Top each steak with a spoonful of herb butter and serve at once with a generous pile of hot fries.
- 50 g herb butter (from step 3)
✅ Done when: the butter is melting into a glossy pool over the steak
The Story Behind the Dish
Steak frites rose to fame in the brasseries of Paris, the lively, informal restaurants that served hearty, fast food to workers and theatre-goers alike. The pairing of a quickly seared piece of beef with a mound of crisp fried potatoes became the easiest, most satisfying thing to put on a menu, and it stuck.
Today it is considered an unofficial national dish, found on bistro chalkboards from Lyon to Lille, usually with little more than the steak, the fries, and perhaps a simple green salad.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It is the dish that proves simplicity done perfectly beats complexity: good meat, a hot pan, and well-made fries, nothing to hide behind.
💡 Fun Fact
Many French bistros judge their kitchen by their fries alone, which is why the double-fry method, blanching then crisping, became standard long before anyone else called it a technique.
Paris and the brasseries of France
48.86°N, 2.35°E
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