Steak with frites and garlic butter is the epitome of timeless dining, made famous by the legendary Le Relais de l’Entrecôte in Paris. A favourite for date nights, especially on Valentine’s Day, or any celebratory meal for two, this dish combines simple ingredients with impeccable flavour. Juicy, tender steak paired with crisp, golden fries (or chips), and a decadent garlic butter creates a meal that’s as it is elegant. This recipe ensures restaurant-quality results, perfect for recreating the romance and charm of a French bistro at home.
For the steak, we use thick-cut sirloin from Hawksmoor, celebrated for it’s robust flavour and beautifully marbled texture. Seasoned simply with Maldon Sea Salt flakes, freshly cracked pepper, and sprigs of thyme, the steak is seared to perfection, ensuring a rich, caramelised crust. The frites, made from skin-on Maris Piper potatoes, are fried until crisp and golden, retaining their natural flavour and texture. To complete the dish, we whip up a silky garlic butter infused with fresh parsley, adding an aromatic richness that elevates every bite. Together, these components create a culinary masterpiece that feels both luxurious and comforting.
How to make steak frites with garlic butter

Step 1
Start by preparing your chips. Cut your potatoes into skinny chip pieces – you can peel them or keep the skin on, but we kept the skin on for more flavour. Then place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water – toss them around then leave them in the water for 1 hour. This will help remove the starch from the potatoes which means they will be crispier when fried.
Step 2
After 30 minutes take the steak out the fridge to allow it to come to room temperature.
Step 3
Now you can prepare the garlic butter. In a bowl beat the softened butter until smooth with a spoon, then add the chopped parsley, crushed garlic cloves and plenty of Maldon Sea Salt and cracked black pepper. Then place two sheets of clingfilm onto your worktop and spoon the butter into the middle. Use the clingfilm to shape the butter into a thick sausage shape and roll it tightly, twisting each end to keep it secure. Then place the butter into the fridge.
Step 4
After 1 hour, remove the chips from the water and dry them very well on some kitchen paper. Preheat the oven to 180c.
Step 5
Pour in the veg oil into a large high-sided pan so it comes up 2 third of the way up the sides. Then place it on the heat and heat until it reaches 140c. Then add the chips to the oil and fry for about 5 to 6 minutes until they are cooked through but only lightly golden in colour – you may need to do this in batches. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon when ready and place on a tray lined with kitchen paper.
Step 6
While the chips are frying, we can get started on the steak. Season the steaks liberally with Maldon Sea Salt and cracked black pepper on both sides. Take a large frying pan, heat to a medium high temperature. Start by adding the steak on the side with the biggest part of fat and rendering this down – you may need to hold it in place with some tongs. You want the fat to go lovely deep golden and crisp. Then you can place the steak on one of the flesh sides and cook for 1 – 2 minutes on each side. When you are cooking the final side, add a knob of butter along with the bunch of thyme. Use a spoon to baste the steak with the butter and thyme.
Step 7
Once the steaks have a good level of colour and caramelization on each side, place the pan into the preheated oven for 6 minutes. Ensure you have an oven safe pan before you do this, if not simply transfer to a baking tray along with the pan juices. After the 6 minutes, remove the steaks from the oven and place onto a plate and pour over any cooking juices. Let this rest while you finish the chips.
Step 8
Turn the temperature up on the veg oil, so it reaches 180c. Then fry the chips again for approximately 2-3 minutes until very crisp and golden. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon onto the tray again with kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil. Then add the chips to a large bowl while still hot and toss well with Maldon Sea Salt and cracked black pepper.
Step 9
In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, olive oil and lemon juice to make a dressing. Drizzle and toss this over the butterhead lettuce along with the finely chopped chives.
Step 10
Now you can serve! Serve each rested steak on a plate or serving board. Take the garlic butter from the fridge and unwrap it, then cut some discs to put onto the steak, allowing it to melt. Add the chips to a bowl and serve with the mustardy green salad. Feel free to serve with any additional sauces you like, such as bearnaise or peppercorn. Perfect for a special Valentine’s Day dinner.
What is steak frites?

Steak frites is a dish consisting of a steak paired with fried potatoes, also known as ‘frites’. It’s commonly served in Belgium and French brasseries.
Tim Menger (Head Chef of Entrecôte in Melbourne’s Prahran) says steak frites is a dish that’s ’emblematic’ of France’s approach to food, going on to say it ‘encompasses a lot of what French bistro cooking is’. On the other hand, many claim that the steak frites is Belgium’s national dish due to the invention of the ‘frite’ in the 17th century – and let’s face it – without frites, there no such thing as steak frites!
Both have their differences, with Belgium serving Belgian fries with their steak, which is traditionally pre-cooked and cooled, then refried in oil again when ordered, creating the ultimate crispy, golden chip with a soft, fluffy interior. Belgian fries tend to be thicker in size, needing to be at least 10mm on each side. Whereas, France cut them between 6mm-9mm, creating a ‘skinnier’ chip.
France also adds a delicious Bearnaise sauce to their steak, covering the cut of meat to add refinement and flavour. This sauce is made of butter, egg yolk, white wine vinegar and herbs and is sometimes referred to as the ‘child’ of hollandaise sauce. This is because a bearnaise sauce uses shallot, black pepper and tarragon, whereas hollandaise uses white pepper and a pinch of cayenne. This creamy richness
What kind of steak is steak frites?

The bistro/brasserie staple of steak frites was traditionally made from the rump cut, however nowadays many chefs make steak frites from a variety of parts of the cow, including hanger (also known as onglet), rib-eye, porterhouse or flank. We used sirloin for our steak frites recipe. This is because sirloin is a tender cut of beef that’s affordable and easy to find at the grocery store. It’s also suitable for quick, high-heat cooking in the pan when searing.
What’s the best way to cook a perfect steak?

Cooking the perfect steak begins with choosing the right cut and understanding the best appliance to cook it on. Popular cuts like ribeye, sirloin, fillet and rump all offer distinct texture and flavours.
- Ribeye is known for its marbled fat and rich taste
- Fillet is tender and lean.
- Sirloin balances flavour and tenderness
- Rump provides a bolder, meatier bite.
Regardless of the cut, achieving a beautifully seared crust while maintaining a juicy interior requires the right equipment. Cast iron skillets are ideal for their ability to retain high, even heat whilst heavy-bottomed frying pan or a grill will also yield excellent results. For maximum flavour, make sure the steak is at room temperature before cooking and the pan is smoking hot to achieve a proper sear!
The stages of cooking a steak
Understanding the ‘doneness’ levels of steak is essential to tailoring it to your preference. Here’s a guide to each stage:
- Blue: The steak is seared on the outside while the inside remains almost entirely raw by being cooked at a very high temperature for a short period of time. It feels very soft to the touch and is cooked to about 46–49°C (115–120°F) for a maximum time of 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Rare: Warm on the outside with a cool red centre. Rare steak is tender and juicy. It reaches an internal temperature of 49–52°C (120–125°F). Cooked for 2-3 minutes per side over medium-high heat.
- Medium Rare: The sweet spot for many steak lovers. Medium rare is warm with a red-to-pink centre. The texture is juicy but slightly firmer, cooked to 54–57°C (130–135°F) for 3-4 minutes per side.
- Medium: This steak is firm and pink in the centre, with less moisture than medium rare. It’s cooked to 60–63°C (140–145°F) for 4-6 minutes per side.
- Medium Well: A slight hint of pink remains, but the steak is mostly cooked through and noticeably firmer. It reaches 65–69°C (150–155°F) for around 11-16 minutes in total.
- Well Done: The steak is cooked through completely, with no pink, and is firm to the touch. It’s cooked to 71°C (160°F) or higher for 18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat.
To check doneness, use an instant-read thermometer for precision or press the steak gently. The softer it feels, the rarer it is. Always allow the steak to rest for a few minutes after cooking to let the juices redistribute, ensuring every bite is as succulent as possible.
What’s the difference between fries and frites

‘Fries’ are long, thin pieces of fried potato, cut julienne or batonnet style and deep-dried in oil. It’s country of origin is from Belgium and France. It is believed that American soldiers stationed in Belgium were first introduced to French fries during World War I. Because the language of the Belgium army was French, soldiers nicknamed the fried potatoes as ‘French fries’.
‘Frites’ is the French word for French fries. It is a shortened version of the French phrase ‘pommes frites’ which means fried potatoes.
This style of fried potato is very popular amongst fast food chains that serve French fries, including McDonald’s, Five Guys and Arby’s.