The $25 Steak Frites That Became an NYC Obsession — Most-Ordered

Quick Overview

Chef Sam Braverman of Lori Jayne prepares his most-ordered dish, Steak Frites, detailing the five key steps: preparing the USDA Prime Chuck Flat steak, making the steak butter with herbs, double-frying Russet Burbank potatoes, creating the complex au poivre sauce, and finally searing the steak and assembling the dish.

Key Points: The most-ordered dish at Lori Jayne is Steak Frites, which Sam Braverman walks through making in five steps. Step 1 involves portioning USDA Prime Chuck Flat steak into 5-ounce pieces, reserving the excess trim for the steak butter base. Step 2 is creating the steak butter by rendering the steak trim with large amounts of unsalted butter and herbs (thyme, rosemary) for at least an hour. Step 3 involves preparing the fries using Russet Burbank potatoes, which are cut into 1/4-inch thick shoestring fries and soaked in an acidulated water solution (water with white vinegar) to prevent oxidation. Step 4 details making the au poivre sauce, which includes sweating minced shallots, deglazing with Cognac, adding house-made chicken stock, cream, and then seasoning with toasted and ground green peppercorns, black peppercorns, and Szechuan peppercorns. Step 5 is cooking the steak on a hot griddle, pressing it down to form a hard crust, basting with the steak butter, and then slicing and assembling over the fries, topped with the sauce and garnished with chives.

Context: Chef Sam Braverman, Chef-Owner of Lori Jayne in New York City, demonstrates the meticulous process behind making his restaurant's most popular dish: Steak Frites. The preparation emphasizes high-quality ingredients, such as USDA Prime Chuck Flat steak, and detailed techniques for both the steak and the accompanying fries and sauce, highlighting the effort put into even the most popular, seemingly simple menu items.

Detailed Analysis

Chef Sam Braverman of Lori Jayne outlines the five steps to creating his most popular dish, Steak Frites. Step 1 is steak preparation: using USDA Prime Chuck Flat steak, he portions 5-ounce cuts for service and reserves the excess trim. Step 2 is making the steak butter, which uses the reserved trim, massive amounts of unsalted butter, thyme, and rosemary, cooked slowly for 1-2 hours to infuse flavor. Step 3 covers the fries, which use Russet Burbank potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch shoestring fries, rinsed, and then soaked in cold, acidulated water (water with white vinegar) for at least an hour to control starch content and ensure proper crispness upon frying. Step 4 is the au poivre sauce preparation: minced shallots are sweated in a large pot, then deglazed with a generous pour of Cognac, followed by stock, cream, and aromatics like garlic and hard herbs. The sauce is seasoned with toasted and ground peppercorns (green, black, and Szechuan) to build layers of flavor. Step 5 is cooking and assembly: the seasoned steaks are seared on a hot griddle, pressed to create a crust, and basted with the steak butter. Once rested, the steak is sliced and served over the fries, generously topped with the rich au poivre sauce and garnished with chives.