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Steak Frites with Au Poivre, Bearnaise and Bordelaise Sauces

Nathan Congleton / TODAY
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Chef notes

With fairly simple ingredients and cooking techniques, you can make something very hearty, comforting and crowd-pleasing.

Swap option: You can use hanger steak in instead of sirloin

Ingredients

Steak
  • One 12- to 16-ounce boneless sirloin steak
  • Salt, to taste
Frites
  • 1-2 Kennebec or Idaho potatoes
  • Canola oil, for frying
  • Salt, to taste
Au poivre sauce
  • One 9-ounce top round steak, diced
  • Canola oil, for sautéing
  • ounces butter
  • 3 ounces sliced shallots
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
  • ounces button mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 springs thyme
  • 1 cup veal jus
  • 1 pint heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked
  • 1 teaspoon green peppercorns, cracked
Bordelaise sauce
  • 1/2 pound top round steak, diced
  • Canola oil
  • 1 cup shallots, sliced
  • 1 head garlic, split in half crosswise
  • 1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 1/2 cup port wine
  • 2 liters (about 9 cups) veal stock
  • 1 cup bone marrow, soaked overnight in ice water and small diced
Béarnaise sauce
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 cup white wine vinegar
  • 3 ounces sliced shallots
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 bunch thyme
  • 3 egg yolks
  • pounds butter

Preparation

For the steak:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat a grill or sauté pan over medium-high flame.

Season the steak generously with salt. Cook in the pan for about 3-5 minutes per side. Move the steak onto a baking sheet fitted with a rack and place in the oven until it reaches the desired doneness, about 4-6 minutes.

For the frites:

1.

Cut the potatoes into fries, put immediately into a bowl of cold water. Cover and let soak in the refrigerator overnight.

2.

Heat a large pot of canola oil to 250°F. Fry the potatoes for about 5 minutes or until they are just barely tender. Remove from the fryer and place on a wire rack set over a sheet tray. Cool to room temperature then freeze the cooked potatoes for 12 hours or until completely frozen.

3.

Heat a large pot of canola oil to 350°F. Fry the potatoes in batches until they are golden brown. Remove from the oil and immediately season with salt. Serve.

For the au poivre sauce:

1.

Brown the top round in a saucepan with canola oil until caramelized on all sides. Add the butter, shallots, garlic, mushrooms, bay leaves and thyme and cook until the shallots soften.

2.

Add water to cover, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let the stock cook for 4-6 hours or until the liquid is reduced and very flavorful. Strain, reserving the stock.

3.

In a clean pot, combine the veal jus and reserved stock and cook until the desired consistency is reached. Add the heavy cream and both peppercorns and season to taste if needed.

For the bordelaise sauce:

1.

Brown the top round in a saucepan with canola oil until caramelized on all sides. Add the shallots, garlic and mushrooms and cook until the shallots soften.

2.

Add the wine and port and reduce by 1/2. Add the veal stock and cook until the desired consistency is reached. Taste for seasoning and strain.

3.

Quickly sauté the marrow in a very hot pan. Immediately add the marrow to the red wine sauce and stir. Serve immediately.

For the béarnaise sauce:

1.

Combine the wine, vinegar, shallots, peppercorns, bay leaves and thyme in a pot and bring to a boil and reduce by half. Strain and cool over ice.

2.

Whip the egg yolks in a blender until fluffy and slightly pale. Add 1/4 cup of the cooled béarnaise reduction and process to combine. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter. (If the béarnaise seems very thick and is not blending easily, add a tablespoon of water at a time as needed.) When all is incorporated, add a dash hot sauce and taste for seasoning, adjust as needed.

3.

Stir in the herbs and serve immediately.