Steak and French Fries

I've had a little challenge going for myself since New Year's Eve.  To be a tad more frugal during the month of January, I'm avoiding grocery stores and working through what we have in the fridge and the pantry.  To be fair, we all did just safely escape the most food-laden time of year, and I did have a house full of guests, so that means we were very well stocked and I so I have quite a bit of residue.

But it's January 9th and I haven't been to a grocery store for anything.  That has to be a new world record for me.  Seriously.  Going to the grocery store is like entertainment to me, but when I go, I not only purchase what's on my list, I purchase other items that strike my fancy because let's face it:  one can never have a pantry that is too well stocked, right?

The only problem is, the menu is getting a little heavy on the carbs, and when that happens, I crave beef.  Not a hamburger.  Not pieces chopped for a stew.  Nothing with a sauce or that's been marinated.

Steak. Just plain old steak.

So I rummage around in my freezer knowing there's something in it to take care of my craving, and because I'm not Martha, I need improvement in the "buy in bulk on sale, split up and freeze for later" department, so don't always mark my packages.  I am improving, however.  Sometimes, different cuts of beef surface, or the three of us split one if it's a decent size. But it makes no difference to us, because it's steak.

And what could go better with steak than fries?

Have you ever made your very own Pommes Frites?  It's Friday.  Why not turn your kitchen bar into a French Bistro tonight?  Come on.  Liven things up a bit and think of all the money you'll be saving instead of going out.

You could even end up with a bit o' romance in the process. 

Steak & French Fries

2 lbs. russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled or unpeeled
vegetable oil for frying
sea salt
beef steaks for three
salt, pepper, minced garlic

Scrub potatoes and rinse well.  Cut lengthwise into large matchsticks, about 1/4-1/3" thick.  Rinse again, and allow to drain on a clean terry cloth.  Pat dry if necessary.

In a pot deep enough to pour the vegetable oil about half way up the sides, attach a food thermometer and heat the oil to about 310 degrees F.

 

Working with small batches, gently plunge the potatoes into the oil until they begin to develop color, about 6-7 minutes.  Remove the potatoes from the oil and allow to drain on layers of paper towels.

Allow the oil to return to 310 degrees F before adding another batch of potatoes and repeating the process until finished.  Turn down the heat under the oil.

At this point, you may prepare your steak to your liking.  See notes for what we like to do.

When the steak is nearly done, turn the heat under the oil up.  When it reaches 360 degrees F, return all the fries to the pot all at once, cooking until they're golden brown and crispy.  Remove from the oil, and allow to drain on fresh layers of paper towels.  Sprinkle liberally with a good sea salt.

Pour some red wine, light a candle or two, choose some music and enjoy your Friday evening bistro at home for quite a bit less than you would if you went out.

Notes:

• My husband and I make these together.  It's more fun and comes together very quickly.
• I've tried other methods of making french fries and have decided this double fry method works best.  The fries are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
• You have to make sure the oil is at temp each time you begin or you'll have greasy, and/or limp fries.  Why not just go to a fast food joint for those?
• Look at the paper towels you've "drained" the fries on.  If you've gotten the temp correct, there will be little or no oil on the towels, and what's there will most likely be from the strainer you used to remove the fries from the oil.
• For years I've used a $15 Wilton thermometer that attaches to the side of my pan.  Before that, I used an old Hamilton Beach electric wok I no longer have.  Now I have a new fangled digital thermometer (Maverick) that I can program temps into.  It makes a sound when my temp has been reached. 
• We use one of those wire basket strainer spoons (Joyce Chen) to lower the potatoes into the oil, and to take them out.  It keeps the oil from splashing.
• Don't put too many fries into the oil at once.  It reduces the heat too quickly, and then you risk soggy fries.
• You can go through the first fry up to an hour before serving time, so this is a great make ahead dish.
• For the steak, I purchase good meat (usually rib eye) when it's on sale and is in "family pacs."  If the pieces are large, I cut them up before freezing always thinking about portion size.  None of us eat a whole steak any more.  A portion for us is usually around 5-6 oz.  Dollarwise, our portions end up costing about what you'd pay for a Whopper.  No contest.
• Mince some fresh garlic and mix it with coarse sea salt & cracked pepper.  Rub it on both sides of the meat, and then heat a skillet or griddle until it's very hot (water splashed on it will skip across the surface).  Sear the meat until a nice crisp exterior begins to develop and then flip to the other side. Do this only once. To determine doneness, use this test.

I'd love to say we're having this for dinner tonight, but I'd have to go to the grocery store, and I'm holding out until I'm forced — which is pretty soon since I'm nearly out of veggies.

Tagged as: bistro, French, fries, frugal, Potatoes, steak