Steak Frites
Howdy, folks! Thanks for stopping by camp today. We’re on the road with Bertha and I’m working on a delicious Hanger steak and ‘frites” recipe today – “Steak Frites.” I’ve chosen a tender cut of Hanger steak to pair with fries that we will smoke and fry twice – hang in here for all the tips and tricks to knock the socks off everyone at your table.
Hanger Steak
Sometimes, Hanger steak is hard to find. I call it the “hanging around” meat because it just kinda hangs up under the cow’s belly. It is so tender and delicious – it’s perfect for steak frites.
Call your butcher ahead of time and let him know what you want. He may not carry this every day, but he will be able to order one for you.
Tip: Hanger Steak is sometimes referred to the “Butcher’s Cut.”
Frites
If we were mashing taters this morning I’d send you to the root cellar for some Yukon Gold potatoes. We’re not mashing these taters, though. For fries, you always want to pick Russets.
Start by slicing the potatoes in half. Then half the half – and so on until you get a thin-looking steak-style cut that can fry easily. Thick steak fries are for the oven.
We are going to start these fries by putting them in an ice bath for at least one hour. This is going to help us remove starch from the potatoes.
TIP: Soak potatoes in an ice bath before frying. This makes them crispier by removing starch.
When time is up, drain the potatoes. Rinse well. We want these to be clean before we place them in the hot oil. Let them dry first to avoid grease spatter.
Before we fry, we are going to bathe them in some good smoke on the grill for about ten minutes. I’ve got the Fogo hardwood lump charcoal burning and placed the potatoes over indirect heat on the grill. Don’t put these right on top of the fire.
Lay the fries out so that they aren’t touching. We want to incorporate some of that delicious flavor in these fries.
Prepare the Steak
Start by trimming the silver skin and the fat off of the steak. I’ve included a picture of what the final product looks like after it’s all trimmed for you.
Tip: Always allow steak to warm to room temperature before grilling.
As you can see, Hanger steak has excellent grain. Always cut against the grain when it is ready to serve.
Melt about six tablespoons of Kerrygold butter and brush all over the steak. Rub all over with spices, and let meat warm up to room temperature.
Get the Fryer Hot
Find a good Dutch oven – I’m using a Finex today – and fill with frying oil of your choice. Heat to 325. I know, I know, usually we fry at 350 but since we are double-frying these we want to keep it a tad lower for the first fry.
Tip: Frying potatoes twice removes more starch and produces an extra crispy steak fry.
Fry the potatoes for about three minutes each, making sure that they do not touch during the process. Fry in small batches if you have to. Let the potatoes cool before we start the second fry.
Once the potatoes have cooled down, heat the oil back up to 375 degrees. Brush butter over the potatoes and dip in the simple batter of corn starch and corn masa.
Do a quick dip and fry, once again in small batches so the potatoes don’t touch. Remove when perfectly golden and crispy. Season with some parmesan cheese and my Original Seasoning and serve with the Hanger steak.
Get the Fire Hot
Using the Fogo Charcoal, Apple Wood, and Mesquite, get a good fire going in the smoker. Place the steak on indirect heat and close the lid for 8-10 minutes.
The next step is to move the steak directly on top of the fire and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. You want to grill to an indirect temperature of about 115 – 120 degrees.
When the internal temperature is just right, wrap with pink butcher paper and let rest on indirect heat with the grill lid open for a few minutes. Slice against the grain and serve with the seasoned fries. Chow down! This one is Beag approved.
As always, thanks for stopping by camp and enjoying our food with us. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel and come back every Wednesday afternoon for a new video. We’ll see y’all down the trail.
Steak Frites (Hanger steak and steak fries) – Cowboy Kent Rollins
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons Kent’s Mesquite Seasoning see substitution
- 3 teaspoons dried thyme
- 3 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon coarse ground back pepper
- 6 tablespoons butter melted divided
- 3 to 4 lbs Hanger Steak or 4 Ribeyes
- ⅔ cup corn flour or masa
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- Oil for frying oil
- Kent’s Original seasoning or salt and pepper
- Grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling optional
Instructions
- Cut the potatoes in half, then quarters, then eighths. Add them to a large bowl and cover with ice water. Let soak for at least 1 hour.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the Mesquite seasoning, thyme, garlic powder and pepper.
- Generously brush both sides of the steak(s) with butter. Generously rub the seasoning on all sides of the steak. Leave the steak on the counter to warm close to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, clean, oil and preheat the grill to about 300 degrees F.
- Remove the potatoes from the ice water and pat them dry with a towel. Be sure and remove all the moisture.
- Place the potatoes on the indirect side of the grill and shut the lid. Let the potatoes smoke for about 8 to 10 minutes.
- In a Dutch oven or fryer, add enough oil to deep fry and heat to 325 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine the corn flour and cornstarch.
- Remove the potatoes from the grill and place them on a sheet pan. Brush the potatoes lightly with the remaining butter, then toss them in the corn flour mixture and shake off any excess.
- Fry the potatoes for about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and place on a wire rack to completely cool.
- Heat the oil to 375 degrees F. and fry the potatoes again for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Season with Original seasoning or salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese, if using.
- Place steak(s) on the indirect side of the grill, shut the lid and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Place the steaks over the direct heat and grill for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature is 115 to 120 degrees F. Let rest a few minutes before cutting against the grain. Serve warm with steak fries.