Steak Frites - How to make it right

[mrmr96]

Right, I'd like to make this classic French dish for the Wife and I, which should be the easiest thing in the world but I want to make sure I do it right!

I'm thinking get two 1/2 pound steaks [not sure what cut] and let the sit at room temperature for the afternoon. Then at dinner time roll them flat with rolling pin and put slits in the fat. Then fry in butter on high heat for 3mins on one side, turn once, 3mins on other side. Then let them rest for a couple of minutes before serving.

Not sure about the chips as I don't have a 'home fryer' and I'm a bit scared of cooking chips in boiling oil on top of a gas hob - seen too many fire brigade safety videos I think! So I'm thinking of making home made over chips, sliced thin - but I don't think they will be crisp enough.... so maybe while I'm doing the steak I'll send the wife down to McD's drive through for a couple of large portions of 'french fries'...

Any thoughts/tips or advice welcome.

Cheers

[21TonyK]

You need to start ringing a few local butchers and ask if they have or can get "Onglet" or "Hanger" or "Butchers" steak. It's all the same thing but different people know it by different names. It's a bit fattier than most normal cuts but it is by far the best for what you want, hence a lot of people in the UK know it as the "Butchers" steak. This will only need cooking a minute or two each side and should be rare, medium at most.

As for chips, 1/4" square cut chips cooked in oil at 140 for a couple of minutes then zapped at 180 until crisp and golden.Shower with chopped parsley and serve with the steak well rested and some Dijon mustard or home made coleslaw.

Not a good pic, in fact it's not even Onglet and the coleslaw was bought but you get the idea.

Edited by 21TonyK on Wednesday 3rd November 18:05

[escargot]

Tony is spot on. Don't be shy with the salt on the frites.

[RichB]

Onglet, also known as skirt. I worked in a butchers but have never heard of butcher's steak

[Rinko]

Damn it ... I'm stuck at work, drooling over that picture and I now really want steak for tea!!!

[21TonyK]

RichB said:

Onglet, also known as skirt. I worked in a butchers but have never heard of butcher's steak

Maybe over here but not in France... ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanger_steak

[Davey S2]

Its nice but why bother when you could do better?

But a nice thick sirloin and some chunky chips.

[mrmr96]

Davey S2 said:

Its nice but why bother when you could do better?

But a nice thick sirloin and some chunky chips.

Don't get me wrong, I love juicy steak and chunky chips - but as a 'change' I'd like a bit of 'Steak Frites'. It's a different meal really.

[21TonyK]

I've got 3 rumps to use up and just bought a second hand vacuum pack machine machine from my butcher so you know what I'm posting tomorrow

[RichB]

21TonyK said:

RichB said:

Onglet, also known as skirt. I worked in a butchers but have never heard of butcher's steak

Maybe over here but not in France... ;-)

Sorry it was the fact that you said a lot of people in theUK call it butcher's stake which they don't.

[markreilly]

21TonyK said:

You need to start ringing a few local butchers and ask if they have or can get "Onglet" or "Hanger" or "Butchers" steak. It's a bit fattier than most normal cuts but it is by far the best for what you want, hence a lot of people in the UK know it as the "Butchers" steak. This will only need cooking a minute or two each side and should be rare, medium at most

Jews Tenderloin is another word for it.bit confused about the fatty comment as by its nature its a lean piece of meat excepting for the Y piece of gristle in the middle.it runs from the diaphram to the first rib if memory serves me correct and is really considered offal or was until the TV chefs brought it to everyones attention and butchers started to charge the earth for it.
As mentioned in another post it is not skirt.skirt is the belly flap which funnily enough frys up as a flavourful if somewhat of a jaw exerciser,eat it in small bits.its best use is in stews due to the glutinious layer which renders down in slow cooking to give a stew a lovely tasty gravy

[21TonyK]

RichB said:

21TonyK said:

RichB said:

Onglet, also known as skirt. I worked in a butchers but have never heard of butcher's steak

Maybe over here but not in France... ;-)

Sorry it was the fact that you said a lot of people in theUK call it butcher's stake which they don't.

Okay, so "Butchers" might be more commonly used in the States. What would you call it over here? Hanger is the US name, Onglet the French, in the UK what should we be asking for? Or are we still to "discover" it as a recognised cut?

[RichB]

21TonyK said:

RichB said:

21TonyK said:

RichB said:

Onglet, also known as skirt. I worked in a butchers but have never heard of butcher's steak

Maybe over here but not in France... ;-)

Sorry it was the fact that you said a lot of people in theUK call it butcher's stake which they don't.

Okay, so "Butchers" might be more commonly used in the States. What would you call it over here? Hanger is the US name, Onglet the French, in the UK what should we be asking for? Or are we still to "discover" it as a recognised cut?

Sorry, I think we're going round in circles here, as I said in my first post, skirt.

[markreilly]

RichB said:

21TonyK said:

RichB said:

21TonyK said:

RichB said:

Onglet, also known as skirt. I worked in a butchers but have never heard of butcher's steak

Maybe over here but not in France... ;-)

Sorry it was the fact that you said a lot of people in theUK call it butcher's stake which they don't.

Okay, so "Butchers" might be more commonly used in the States. What would you call it over here? Hanger is the US name, Onglet the French, in the UK what should we be asking for? Or are we still to "discover" it as a recognised cut?

Sorry, I think we're going round in circles here, as I said in my first post, skirt.

Have to disagree on calling it skirt.

i have heard it called Butchers Tenderloin/Fillet,perhaps thats where the confusion has come in

[RichB]

Yeah maybe, it was many years ago I worked in my butchers and celebrity chefs and calling stuff by French names hadn't been invented.

[21TonyK]

RichB said:

21TonyK said:

RichB said:

21TonyK said:

RichB said:

Onglet, also known as skirt. I worked in a butchers but have never heard of butcher's steak

Maybe over here but not in France... ;-)

Sorry it was the fact that you said a lot of people in theUK call it butcher's stake which they don't.

Okay, so "Butchers" might be more commonly used in the States. What would you call it over here? Hanger is the US name, Onglet the French, in the UK what should we be asking for? Or are we still to "discover" it as a recognised cut?

Sorry, I think we're going round in circles here, as I said in my first post, skirt.

Okay so we'll accept we have to ask for the muscle "loosely attached to the back end of the skirt next to the kidneys". Goes back to a comment I made (incorrectly at the time), why can't we cut meat like the French! Would make things a lot easier!

[RichB]

Do you know, I don't give a toss what you ask for, I simply remqarked that in my time onglet was called beef skirt. Sorry to confuse you. As you were...

[markreilly]

Ok, to get this back on thread,may i quote Anthony Bourdain and by the way suggest the original OP get a copy of his Les Halles CookBook. As far as i am concerned what this man does not know about French Bistro cooking could be written on a postage stamp.get the book !
Rump steak is what he used in the restaurant for Steak Frites.Onglet or Hanger steak,once know to Americans as "The Butchers Tenderloin", it was usually taken home home by the in the know butcher for personal use.
If you want to make frites,use his recipe,certainly not oven chips.I would follow his recipe for Cote de Boeuf.i love his comment,i suggest serving this dish with a staggeringly expensive bottle of burgundy in cheap glasses,just to show them who's their Daddy.love the man's attitude,totally in tune with my own.

[Mobile Chicane]

I've bought 'onglet steak' in the UK as 'onglet steak'. (Though maybe that's a Borough Market thing.)

It's unique open texture gives it a tender juiciness you really don't want to spoil by over-cooking.

I've just given it a minute each side in butter then made a simple sauce in the pan from a chopped shallot, a splash of red wine and a bit of parsley over for onglet sans frites:

[21TonyK]

RichB said:

Do you know, I don't give a toss what you ask for, I simply remqarked that in my time onglet was called beef skirt. Sorry to confuse you. As you were...

Well, quite frankly, I don't "give a toss" for your attitude. I was asking a perfectly simple question and as has been commented by several others, supported by several sources and a call to my butcher of 30 years experience and his Dad of a further 40 years, a Butchers/Hanger steak or Onglet is definitely not Skirt. Anatomically it's a different muscle.

I suggest you stick to what you are obviously good at and forget the butchery.

Apologies to the OP for the digression. Please don't ask for "Skirt" or you will end up with a rough bit of meat best suited to slow cooking. The only way to fry skirt is to seam it and then cut diagonally across the grain of the meat before cooking. Fiddly job not many butchers would entertain as it produces a lot of waste they have to add to the mince which they would rather sell as part of their stewing or braising steak.

/is it me or is this forum becoming a bit of a pita?