How To Make Steak Fries

Similar to french fries, steak fries are thick wedges of potatoes fried or roasted to crispy perfection. Because steak fries are thicker than french or even shoestring fries, they require just a little more finesse to get the ideal ratio of crispy outside to soft, creamy center. I find that the best steak fries aren’t fried, but are better off oven roasted. They are an easy side to weeknight burgers, date-night steak dinners, or even as a snack for dipping in your favorite sauce.

I generally prefer russet potatoes for classic french fries, but for steak fries, only Yukon Gold potatoes will do. Yukon Gold’s thin skin allows the potatoes to be cut into wedges unpeeled and crisps up in the oven along with the potatoes. But the best part of Yukon Gold potatoes are their tender, sweet flesh which bakes up into the creamy and dreamy interior of these steak fries. Look for four medium potatoes that are comparable in size and shape. Longer potatoes make for more slender steak fries.

I enjoy frying food at home despite its reputation as a messy, stinky endeavor, but I find when you roast potatoes slowly (as opposed to the fast heat of frying) they actually become creamier. Oven-roasted steak fries rival their fried counterparts in crispiness, but they won’t be quite as evenly golden-brown as the fried version.

• Roast these Yukon Gold potato wedges at 400°F for a total of 35 to 40 minutes, flipping them about halfway through.
• Choose a high-heat-tolerant oil for coating the fries, such as an everyday olive oil (not EVOO) or avocado oil.

• Heat the oven to 400°F and coat a baking pan with cooking spray. Do not line the pan with parchment or foil.
• Cut the potatoes into even wedges. Wedges crisp better since only two sides need to come in contact with the pan to crisp (rather than 4 of the traditional fry shape).
• Coat the potatoes with more oil before roasting. I like olive oil or avocado oil for their flavor, but use what you’ve got.

Oven roasting is almost completely hands-off, allowing you to fry burgers or steak while the potatoes cook themselves.

Most often I’m serving these fries with burgers or chicken fingers, but you could turn these into a meal themselves by topping with chili and grated cheddar cheese, or a fried egg and crumbled bacon. You can also serve these with your favorite dip — salsa, guacamole, or queso — for a seriously satisfying snack.