The Best Cut Of Meat For Classic French Steak Frites

When you want to prepare a fancy dinner at home, you can't go wrong with the traditional French dish steak frites, which translates to "steak and fries." But, not just any cut of steak is right for this iconic pairing. For the inside scoop on all things steak frites, Food Republic spoke exclusively to Randy Feltis, chef at The Farmhouse Restaurant in Barrie, Ontario, and co-author of "Katherine Wants: The Ultimate Date Night Cookbook."

The expert shares that the best cut of steak for a classic French steak frites dish is a ribeye, a cut typically taken from the rib section of a cow. Feltis calls the tender cut "the king of the steaks." If ribeye isn't available or is slightly out of your price range, there are other options that will provide a very similar "If not ribeye, I would say a strip loin because ... it's full of fat and flavor," Feltis says.

New York Strip and ribeye differ slightly in their texture, with strip loins having lower levels of marbling than a ribeye. The leaner meat present in a strip loin cut also tends to cook slightly faster than ribeye, so be sure to adjust the temperature down slightly for the latter so you achieve your desired level of doneness without too much char on the outside.

When it comes to cooking your cut of steak to prepare a steak frites dish, you really have two options: grilling or pan searing. In his exclusive interview with Food Republic, Chef Randy Feltis advises, "[If] you can go outside, use a wood oven on high heat, or pan sear it in a cast iron if you're inside." The same methods can be used for ribeye. Many steak lovers opt for a grill in order to carefully melt the high marble content and achieve an extra-crispy exterior.

The ideal level of doneness for your steak will most often come down to personal preference, although most will agree that medium-rare (between 130 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit) to medium (140 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit) is the right way to enjoy a steak. If you're making your french fries to serve on the side, consider using Russet potatoes for the best crunch, and make sure to start the fries in cold oil for the best homemade steak frites.