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Steak Frite Bites

Name: Steak Frite Bites
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2¼ lb NY strip or sirloin, about 1¼ inches thick; 2¼ tsp kosher salt; 1½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper; 3 tbsp high-heat oil, divided; 4 tbsp unsalted butter; 4 garlic cloves, smashed; 5 thyme sprigs; 2 tbsp chives, finely snipped, to finish; Flaky salt, to finish; Tarragon Béarnaise Aioli, for dipping

Steak frites without the knife and fork. Cubes of NY strip, dry-salted, seared hard in cast iron, then tossed in foaming butter with garlic and thyme until they shine, and speared on picks. Served with Tarragon Béarnaise Aioli for dipping.

Total time

20 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

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As seen on Episode 288

The pantry

kitchen

Essentials · serves 6

2¼ lb NY strip or sirloin, about 1¼ inches thick 2¼ tsp kosher salt 1½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper 3 tbsp high-heat oil, divided 4 tbsp unsalted butter 4 garlic cloves, smashed 5 thyme sprigs 2 tbsp chives, finely snipped, to finish Flaky salt, to finish Tarragon Béarnaise Aioli, for dipping

·

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The preparation

7 steps, about 20 minutes start to finish.

01
1. CUBE AND SALT: trim the excess fat and cut the steak into 1¼-inch cubes. Pat very dry, toss with the kosher salt, and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
02
2. DRY AGAIN: pat the cubes dry a second time and toss with the pepper.
03
3. SEAR, BATCH ONE: heat 1½ tbsp oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half the cubes in a single layer with space between them. Sear 1 to 1½ minutes per side, turning to brown at least 3 sides. Transfer to a plate.
04
4. SEAR, BATCH TWO: wipe out any burnt bits, add the remaining 1½ tbsp oil, and repeat with the rest of the steak.
05
5. BASTE: return all the steak to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and add the butter, garlic and thyme. Toss and baste for 1 minute, until the butter is foaming and the cubes are glossy.
06
6. REST AND SPEAR: rest 3 minutes, then spear each cube with a cocktail pick.
07
7. FINISH: scatter the chives and flaky salt over the top. Serve with the aioli for dipping, or pipe a dot on top of each bite.

lightbulb The chef's notes

“Never crowd the pan; it steams grey instead of searing brown, which is why it goes in two batches. For medium-rare the cubes should still feel soft with a little spring when pressed. At 1¼ inches they go from medium-rare to medium in about thirty seconds, so pull them early and let the rest finish the job. Hanger or ribeye work too, and ribeye gives a richer bite.”

Cooked the same night, Episode 288

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Steak Frite Bites

The preparation

Cooked the same night, Episode 288

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