Smoky Grilled Steak with Crispy Garlic Herb French Fries

Smoky grilled steak

• 4 boneless sirloin or ribeye steaks, ¾ inch (2 cm) thick, about 8 oz (225 g) each, patted very dry
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp light brown sugar
• 1½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, optional

Crispy garlic herb fries

• 2 lb (900 g) Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick fries
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Garlic herb butter

• 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp kosher salt

1. Soak the potatoes and season the steaksPut the cut fries in a large bowl of cold water for 30 minutes to draw out surface starch. Meanwhile, mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, salt, pepper and cayenne. Pat the steaks very dry, rub them with the 1 tbsp olive oil, then coat both sides with the spice mix and let them come to room temperature.The steaks are covered in a deep brick-red crust of spices, and the water around the potatoes is cloudy.⏱ 30 min timer, soak
2. Roast the fries until crispHeat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a heavy rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack. Drain the potatoes and dry them completely with towels. Toss with the 3 tbsp olive oil, salt and garlic powder. Spread them in a single layer on the hot sheet, without crowding, and roast 20 minutes. Flip and roast 12 to 15 minutes more, until golden brown with crisp edges.Golden fries, crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, with dark crisp edges.⏱ 20 min timer, first side
3. Make the garlic herb butterMelt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, thyme and salt. Divide it in half.A fragrant butter that is flecked green with herbs, and the garlic is pale and soft.
4. Grill the steaksHeat a grill or cast-iron grill pan to high so it is very hot, and oil the grates. Grill the steaks 3 to 4 minutes per side, without moving them except to flip once, until dark grill marks appear and the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C) for medium. Rest 5 minutes on a plate.Deep cross-hatch grill marks with a few charred spots, and a pink center with clear juices.⏱ 4 min timer, first side
5. Finish the steaks and friesBrush half of the garlic herb butter over the rested steaks. Toss the hot fries with the other half until every one is glossy and speckled with herbs.The steaks are glossy with green herb flecks, and the fries are coated in a thin layer of garlic butter.
6. Plate and serveSlice the steaks against the grain if you like, or serve them whole. Pile the fries beside the steak on each plate and serve right away while the fries are crisp.A dark, grill-marked steak beside a pile of golden, herb-speckled fries.

• Soak the potatoes. It washes off surface starch, so the fries crisp instead of turning gummy. Then dry them completely, since wet potatoes steam.
• Preheat the baking sheet. A hot pan sears the underside the moment the potatoes land, so they don’t stick and brown faster.
• Don’t crowd the pan. Use two sheets if needed. Crowded fries steam and go soft.
• Pat the steak very dry and let it stand at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes, so it browns and cooks evenly.
• Get the grill very hot and don’t press or move the steak. It builds the cross-hatch marks and dark crust in the photo.
• Brown sugar helps the char. A little sugar caramelizes in the rub for the dark mahogany color. It burns if the grill is too hot for too long, so don’t walk away.
• Doneness: 130°F (54°C) medium-rare, 140°F (60°C) medium and 145°F (63°C) for medium-well, taken from the thickest part. The temperature rises about 5°F while it rests.
• Rest the steak 5 minutes before cutting so the juices stay inside. Slice against the grain.
• Add the garlic butter at the end. Garlic burns quickly on a hot grill, so it goes on after cooking.
• Scaling: The servings buttons change the ingredient list. Step text keeps the original 4-serving amounts. For 8 servings, use two baking sheets for the fries and grill the steaks in batches.

Nutrition is an estimate per serving. Contains dairy.

Easy swaps

Pan-sear instead of grill: heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking, add 1 tbsp oil and sear the steaks 3 to 4 minutes per side. Run the exhaust fan.

Other cuts: flank, skirt, strip or flat iron steak all work. Thin cuts like skirt take 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Air-fryer fries: cook the dried, oiled fries at 400°F (200°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, shaking halfway, in two batches.

Sweet potato fries: use the same weight of sweet potatoes cut the same way. They brown quicker, so check at 25 minutes.

Spicy: double the cayenne, or serve with hot sauce.

Wings and dip from the photo: the plate in the photo also has glazed wings and a red dipping sauce. For a quick version, toss 2 lb (900 g) of dried wings with 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp paprika, and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 45 minutes, flipping once. Toss in 3 tbsp hot sauce mixed with 2 tbsp melted butter and 1 tbsp honey. Serve with ketchup mixed with a little hot sauce.

Dairy-free: use olive oil in place of the butter.

Make ahead: mix the spice rub up to a week ahead, and cut and soak the potatoes up to 12 hours ahead, refrigerated in water.

Storage and reheating

Fridge: cool within 2 hours, then store the steak and fries in separate airtight containers for 3 days.

Reheat the steak gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth, or slice and warm for 1 minute. Re-crisp the fries in a 425°F (220°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Freezer: cooked steak freezes up to 2 months. Fries are best fresh.