Grilled Steak Fries

Jan 28, 2011
Tom Wolsey

Grilled Steak Fries - Thomas DeVere Wolsey

Served with barbecued steak, fish, or chicken, steak fries or chips are thickly cut strips of potato deep fried, oven roasted, or grilled.

Steak fries are those thick-cut potatoes that are frequently served, not surprisingly, with steak. They are known in British-style pubs as the chips part of “fish and chips.” Preparing steak fries is not complicated, but a couple of secrets will make the fries a hit with the backyard chef’s guests.

Wedges of potatoes can be grilled easily, but to achieve the crispy surface and fluffy interior many fry lovers want, additional steps are necessary. Fortunately, these steps are not complicated and can actually reduce time spent just before the meal is served.

There are four phases for this recipe for grilled steak fries.

Preparation
Parcooking
Freezing (yes, that’s right)
Grilling

Ingredients

Potatoes (about one per person)
Vegetable oil
Sea Salt
Condiments (ketchup, ranch dressing, chives, scallions, etc.).

Preparing Steak Fries

Selecting the right potato is the first key to successful steak fries. The russet variety works well given its water content and cell structure. For chefs that use other varieties, different results might be expected. Peeling the potato leaving the peels on is a matter of personal choice; unpeeled potatoes may be healthier.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice potatoes in half down its length. Then, square off the ends and perhaps the sides of the potato. The sharper the angle of the cut potato, the greater the chance they will burn on the grill. Slice potatoes into planks about 3/8 to ½ inches wide. Consistency is another key to the success of the grilled potato fry, so keep the width as close to the same size while slicing. Place each potato plank into ice water while preparing the remainder of the future steak fries.

Parcooking

Once the potatoes are prepared, place them on a paper towel or tea towel, and pat them down to dry them off. In a bowl or on a baking sheet, brush or drizzle vegetable oil (Canola oil is recommended), then toss to coat each piece of potato with the oil. Place on a baking sheet and place into the oven for about 18 minutes. The time will vary depending on the variety of the potato, size of the slices, and oven itself.

Half way through the parcooking phase, turn the potato slices. They will have a light tan color on the side that had previously been facing down. Potatoes should yield to a fork, but they will not be quite to the tender stage. Finish baking, remove from the oven, and allow the fries to cool.

A quicker means of parcooking is to boil the potato slices for about six minutes, but the color of final fries will not have the golden or tan color and the texture may be slightly different.

Freezing Steak Fries

Once the parcooked potato slices are cool, put them into a freezer container or zip-top bag. Place these into the freezer for at least five hours or overnight. Freezing changes the cell structure of the potato and is partially responsible for the fluffier texture of the fries at serving time. An advantage of parcooking and freezing is that preparation can be done a day before they are served, as well.

Grilling the Steak Fries

Heat the grill interior to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit and reduce the flame to medium or low medium just before placing the potatoes on the grill. Place the frozen potato slices on a grill screen or mesh pan. Depending on the thickness, the fries will be ready in ten to fifteen minutes. Flip the fries with a spatula or tongs about half way through cooking time. If the edges start to blacken, they are cooking too quickly or are overdone. Remove the fries from the grill, season with sea salt or a seasoning salt. Serve with condiments.