Steak Frites Au Poivre

I made this for one of our first dinner parties after we had Arlo and it was a hit! I used a sous vide machine for this recipe, which I love for precision, put it’s not necessary at all and I include both methods in the recipe below. To amp this up even more than a classic steak frites recipe, I decided to pair it with an au poivre style sauce. It’s outrageously delicious.

Steak Frites (French Mother In Law Approved)

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Ingredients

For the sauce:

▢ 2 shallots thinly sliced (You can use the ones from the sous vide bag or cut fresh)
▢ 2 tsp coarse black pepper
▢ 1/4 cup cognac
▢ 1 tbsp demi glace paste can sub with beef bouillon paste from better than bouillon
▢ 1/2 cup water
▢ 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce plus more to taste if needed
▢ 1/4 cup heavy cream
▢ Salt and pepper to taste

For the fries:

▢ Frozen French fries measure with your heart!
▢ Oil for frying I used avocado oil but canola or vegetable works
▢ Salt

Directions

SOUS VIDE INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat your sous vide machine to 132°F for medium-rare steak.
Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper. Place each steak in a separate vacuum-sealed bag along with thyme, sliced shallots, and 2 tablespoons of butter. You can use a zip lock as well, just press as much air out as possible.
Seal the bags and place them in the preheated sous vide water bath. Cook for 2 hours.
While the steak is cooking, prepare the ingredients for the sauce so they are ready when the steak is done.
When the steak is done, remove it from the sous vide bath and pat dry with paper towels. Season again with salt on both sides. Before you sear it, heat the oil for French fries in a dutch oven until it’s 375F. You can test one French fry to make sure it is the right temp if you don’t have a thermometer. The oil should strongly bubble once the fry hits the oil and it should be completely fried and golden within a few minutes.
As the oil heats up, cook the steak. Heat a skillet over high heat and add a bit of high smoke point oil to lubricate the pan. Sear the steaks for 1-2 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Reduce the heat to low and add some reserved buttery steak juice from the sous vide bag. Baste the steaks and remove from the pan. Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes while you fry the fries and work on the sauce.
For the sauce, add the shallot and pepper and sauté. Deglaze the pan withcognac and scrape up any browned bits. Let that cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the demi glaze paste, water and Worcestershire sauce. Stir together until smooth. Let it come to a bubble and thicken. Finally, add the heavy cream and stir. Let it bubble for 1-2 min until thick.
You’re going to play a little game of multi task during the simmering stages of the sauce and use that time to fry the French fries. Submerge them into the oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove and place on a rack or in a metal bowl and season with a generous pinch of salt.
Slice and plate the steak with the fries. Top with lots of sauce.

METHOD IF YOU DON’T HAVE A SOUS VIDE: If you don’t own a sous vide machine, you will have to sear the steak and transfer to the oven to finish cookikng

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Take the steaks out of the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to take the chill off.
Pat the steaks dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Season them generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a cast iron skillet or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Add a drizzle of oil to the skillet and swirl to coat the bottom.
Once the skillet is hot, carefully place the steaks in the skillet. Sear the steaks for about 2-3 minutes on each side until they develop a golden-brown crust.
If desired, add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet along with minced garlic and fresh herbs. Spoon the melted butter over the steaks as they cook to add flavor.
Once the steaks are seared on both sides, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Cook the steaks in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, depending on desired doneness and thickness of the steaks:
**For rare**: Cook for about 5 minutes.
**For medium-rare**: Cook for about 7 minutes.
**For medium**: Cook for about 9 minutes.
**For well-done**: Cook for about 10 minutes or longer.
Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steaks. For medium-rare, the temperature should register around 130-135°F (54-57°C).
While the steak is finishing, preheat the frying oil to 375 F in a large pot. You can test one French fry to make sure it is the right temp if you don’t have a thermometer. The oil should strongly bubble once the fry hits the oil and it should be completely fried and golden within a few minutes.
Once the steaks reach the desired doneness, remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the steaks to a cutting board. Let them rest for 10 minutes.
For the sauce, add the shallot and pepper and sauté. Deglaze the pan withcognac and scrape up any browned bits. Let that cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the demi glaze paste, water and Worcestershire sauce. Stir together until smooth. Let it come to a bubble and thicken. Finally, add the heavy cream and stir. Let it bubble for 1-2 min until thick.
You’re going to play a little game of multi task during the simmering stages of the sauce and use that time to fry the French fries. Submerge them into the oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove and place on a rack or in a metal bowl and season with a generous pinch of salt.
Slice the steaks against the grain and serve immediately as instructed above.

Dinner Party Menu

First on the menu is an outstanding pumpkin risotto with stracciatella, crispy sage, and shiitakes. Paired with it is a maple dijon pork tenderloin (or chicken thighs). For dessert, enjoy an apple cider bread pudding with creme anglaise and caramel.

download the menu