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Pan Seared Flank Steak with Crispy Potatoes and Chimichurri
Why this recipe works
Steak frites is a classic bistro dish, but cooking up a steak in one pan while simultaneously deep-frying potatoes in another is a recipe for disaster in a home kitchen. We wanted to harness the power of cast iron and make an approachable version of this meat and potatoes classic. We started with flank steak cut into quarters to increase the surface area, which helped it develop a better crust. We preheated our cast-iron skillet in the oven for a hot, even cooking surface and seared both sides of the steak before dropping the heat while it finished cooking through. While the meat was resting, we moved to the potatoes, which we had jump-started in the microwave so they could quickly brown and crisp when added to the now-empty, hot skillet. Letting the potatoes cook without stirring ensured that the exteriors became crunchy. We served our steak and potatoes with a quick chimichurri made with herbs, garlic, and red wine vinegar as a fresh counterpoint.
Ingredients
- 1 (1½-pound) flank steak, trimmed
- Salt and pepper
- 3 russet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced lengthwise into 6 wedges
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Steps
- Adjust oven rack to middle position, place 12-inch cast-iron skillet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Meanwhile, cut steak lengthwise with grain into 2 equal pieces, then cut each piece in half crosswise to create 4 equal pieces. Season steaks with salt and let sit at room temperature.
- Toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Cover potatoes and microwave until just beginning to soften, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving; set aside.
- Pulse parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon salt in food processor until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer mixture to serving bowl, stir in olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside for serving.
- When oven reaches 500 degrees, pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Using potholders, remove skillet from oven and place over medium-high heat; turn off oven. Being careful of hot skillet handle, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and heat until just smoking. Cook steaks, without moving, until lightly browned on first side, about 2 minutes. Flip steaks and continue to cook until lightly browned on second side, about 2 minutes.
- Flip steaks, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until steaks are well browned and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 4 to 8 minutes. Transfer steaks to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing potatoes.
- Drain potatoes well. Heat remaining ¼ cup vegetable oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place potatoes cut side down in skillet in even layer and cook, without moving, until golden brown on first side, about 5 minutes. Flip potatoes and continue to cook, without moving, until golden brown on second side, about 5 minutes; transfer to serving platter. Serve steaks with potatoes and chimichurri.