There are certain dinners that instantly make an ordinary night at home feel special, and steak frites will always be one of them. A beautifully cooked steak, crispy golden fries, and a generous spoonful of silky béarnaise sauce is simple in theory, but when everything comes together, it feels like pure luxury.
For this version, I’m using a beautiful beef tenderloin seasoned simply with salt and pepper. The steak is seared until beautifully browned on the outside and tender in the center, then given plenty of time to rest before slicing. Sometimes the simplest preparation is exactly what a great cut of beef needs.
The fries are homemade and baked until golden and crispy. I love cutting the potatoes into thick matchsticks, giving them a light spray of olive oil, and seasoning them with salt the second they come out of the oven.
And then there’s the béarnaise sauce. My version starts with shallots, fresh tarragon, dry white wine, and champagne vinegar before everything comes together with egg yolks and plenty of butter. It’s rich, silky, and the kind of sauce that makes you want to pour just a little more over everything on the plate.
Scroll down for the full steak frites recipe and make this one for your next special dinner.
Steak Frites with Homemade Béarnaise Sauce
Ingredients
Method
- Season the beef tenderloin generously with salt and pepper. Let it rest while you prepare the fries and béarnaise sauce.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cut the potatoes into thick matchsticks and lightly spray them with olive oil.
- Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F until golden and crispy. Season with salt immediately after removing them from the oven.
- In a small pot, combine the finely chopped shallot, dry white wine, champagne vinegar, and 2 sprigs of fresh tarragon.
- Simmer until the mixture has reduced to about 1½ tablespoons of liquid. Strain and set aside.
- Melt half of the butter separately.
- Add the room-temperature egg yolks to a blender. With the blender running, slowly stream in the melted butter until emulsified.
- Add the remaining room-temperature butter and blend again until silky smooth.
- Finish the béarnaise sauce with chopped fresh tarragon and salt.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef tenderloin for about 3 minutes per side, around 12 minutes total for medium rare.
- Remove the steak from the skillet and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve the sliced beef tenderloin with the crispy fries and generously spoon the warm béarnaise sauce over the steak and fries.
Notes
- For best results, use room-temperature egg yolks when making the béarnaise.
- A meat thermometer is the most reliable way to achieve your preferred doneness.
- Fresh tarragon is essential for the signature flavor of a classic béarnaise sauce.
- Letting the steak rest before slicing helps retain its juices and tenderness.
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If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out or any personal touches you added along the way.
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