Perfectly cooked meat, crispy golden fries, creamy blue cheese butter - does it get any better sounding? This delicious striploin recipe is one to have up your sleeves for when hosting a dinner party or when the lads are coming round for a bottle of red.
sponsored by Mont Wines, Victoria
Why I Love This Dish
This is one dish that has featured regularly in AnotherFoodBlogger's house. If I was asked what I want to eat on my birthday, it would always be a juicy big steak cooked medium rare. Add in fries and some blue cheese butter, and well tickle me pink! Aside from being a massive steak fan, what is it that makes this striploin recipe one I am particularly fond of?
- 2 out of 3 components can be made in advance
- maximum flavour
- you can use any steak you want so it's versatile
- fries - need I explain more?
- there is always some blue cheese butter left over and I've a wicked good gnocchi dish coming soon for this 😉
Enjoy 😉
Striploin Steak
Choosing a steak to eat can be hard. Each one has a preferred cooking method, varying levels of fat and also cost different amounts too. For me, striploin is a great option as it's
- very tender
- generally cheaper than tenderloin and ribeye
- offers great even distribution of marbling throughout
- nice "beefy" flavour
- it comes both boneless and bone-in for added flavour
- typically they are a minimum of 1" thick so you can get a good sear/crust on them
Cooking Striploin Steak
My striploin steaks were approx 250g each, so these instructions are based upon that!
No two pieces of meat will cook identical, so I recommend experience (which takes time) or a meat thermometer. Don't feel like you are cheating by using a thermometer - I'm sure you and your guests would prefer perfectly cooked meat every time! Plus, the more you cook and use it, the more experience you will get 😉
Here are my top tips when cooking striploin or any steak!
- remove from the fridge a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking
- season heavily. I just use salt as pepper can have a tendency to burn when pan frying. Don't be afraid of using a decent amount too
- when seasoning, do it a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking or just before you cook it. Salt draws the moisture from the meat, and after 30 minutes, the meat then sucks that salty moisture back in, whereas if you leave it for 10 minutes when you add the steak to your pan, there is a layer of liquid on top which will steam the steak vs searing the steak. Lord knows we all like that brown crusty exterior!
- hot pan or BBQ - I can't stress this enough. Without a hot pan/BBQ, the steak won't brown or it will stick to the grill
- don't touch it - some methods say you should turn every 30 seconds but for steaks around 1" thick, let it get a good sear/crust, and then flip.
- for medium rare, approx 2mins per side will do or until internal temp is 48-52c
- if using a pan, you can add a knob of butter, herbs and garlic and baste it for the last minute. This helps develop that crust and adds flavour
- REST YOUR MEAT. This is one of the most important steps. If you cut into a steak straight away, all the juices will just end up on your board or plate. Give your steak a few minutes to redistribute the juices.
If you follow these simple instructions, you are well on your way to mastering striploin steak or any other steak you cook!
Shoestring Fries
These crunchy golden fries are a thing of sheer beauty! They cook in minutes, you can add multiple flavourings to them and better yet - they can be eaten cold so you can cook them ahead of time, making that dinner party a little bit easier for you too!
Why are they called shoestring fries? Well, simply because of the size. You may have heard of them as matchstick or straw potatoes. The difference between these and good ol' regular french fries is shoestring fries are cooked through. Their size means they are crispy all the way through, whereas french fries should be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
So, to make these simple and delicious fellas, here are my simple instructions...
- scrub the potatoes clean - don't worry about peeling them!
- get a bowl of iced water ready - this helps remove some of the starch but also keeps them fresh and crisp while you cut all the potatoes
- using a mandoline, slice the potatoes thinly and place in the water
- heat your oil to 180c and dry the potatoes using a clean cloth or salad spinner - this will stop so much oil splashing up and also keep the oil at a higher temperature
- cook for 4-5mins or until golden and crispy.
- once cooked, drain on a paper towel. Salt the potatoes immediately and add any herbs or other seasonings then too
- shoestring fries will keep for a couple days in an airtight container but lets be honest - they don't stand a chance!
TOP TIP: Make sure you don't overcrowd the pan and stir the potatoes to stop them from sticking
Wine Pairing
Well, it's steak night, and you need a good bottle of red to pair with this cracking striploin, frites & blue cheese butter. Look no further than Marty "Mont" Burns cause he has another cracker for you at the unbelievable price of $28, and there may be a cheeky discount if you pop AFB20 in when ordering 😉
The Mont "the lovers" Merlot is a small batched red from the Pyrenees region of Victoria. It's everything you want in a Merlot.
It's bright, easy drinking and goes down easily. Red cherry, raspberries and some nice spice notes on the nose. The palate has a good amount of acid, plums, fine tannins and a little spice too. It's a wine that will be loved and appreciated by many.
Paired with a perfectly cooked piece of striploin and garlicky blue cheese butter, I can't think of a better way to spend my evening!
Alternative Steak Dishes
Enjoyed my striploin and have a hankering for more red meat in your life? Check out these alternatives on my site!
Happy Cooking & Happy Eating Friends!!!
Ingredients
Steak
- 4 striploin steaks – or any steak of your choosing approx 250g each
- salt
- oil
- knob of butter optional
- 1 clove of garlic optional
Blue Cheese Butter
- 200 g butter
- 75 g blue cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
- 4 cloves garlic
Shoestring Fries
- 4 large brushed potatoes
- salt
- oil for frying
Essential Tools
- Chef Knives
- Chopping board
- mandolin
- large mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- large saucepan
- frying pan/BBQ
- measuring/weighing utensils
Instructions
Blue Cheese Butter
- Remove butter from fridge and allow to come to room temperature
- Place garlic in tinfoil, drizzle with oil and add salt. Wrap and roast @ 180c for 30mins (prepare fries and remove steak from the fridge, following step 1 below)
- Squeeze cooked garlic into butter, add blue cheese and chives and combine
- Place on cling film and roll into a log, allow to set in the fridge
Shoestring Fries
- Clean potatoes and prepare a large bowl of iced water
- Using a mandolin slice the potatoes into matchsticks and place in the cold water for 5-10 minutes
- Remove from the water, dry with a clean towel or salad spinner
- Fry @ 180c for 4-5 minutes, one handful of potatoes at a time and stirring regularly so they don’t stick
- Place on a tray with paper towel, season and repeat with remaining potatoes
Steak
- Season steak generously and allow steak to come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes prior to cooking
- To grill heat your BBQ to 250c and cook for 2 minutes per side
- To pan fry, heat your pan and add a drizzle of oil to the pan. Cook the steak for 2 minutes per side and then add a knob of butter, clove of garlic and sprig of rosemary
- Baste steak for a minute, remove when internal temperature reaches 48-52c for medium rare and allow to rest on a wire rack for 2-3 minutes before serving *see tips*
Notes
Tips/Tricks
- my steaks were 300g each – cooking times will vary depending upon the size and cut of your meat
- you can serve the blue cheese butter soft – just spoon it over the cooked steak if you don’t want to wait for it to set
- blue cheese butter will keep for a couple weeks in the fridge, or you can store it in the freezer for months
- ALWAYS rest your meat before serving – this allows the juices to redistribute and gives you a juicer cut
- make sure to dry the potatoes before frying to stop them from spitting when adding to the oil
- soaking the potatoes in water will stop them browning but will also draw out the starch, which helps them not to stick together
steak? chips? blue cheese butter? I'm in!