Viral Lori Jayne Steak Frites

This Lori Jayne steak frites recipe recreates the viral Brooklyn dish with sliced steak, crispy fries, and a glossy Sichuan peppercorn sauce. The sauce is what sets it apart from classic steak frites, with layers of savory, slightly sweet, peppery flavor. It’s rich, bold, and every bit as good as the viral videos make it look.

The Story Behind Lori Jayne Steak Frites

This dish comes from Lori Jayne, chef Sam Braverman’s Brooklyn restaurant located inside the bar Danger Danger. After videos of its steak frites started taking off online, recreations of the dish quickly began going viral too.

I saw a few of those videos, and since I’ve already made a couple of loaded fries recipes, including my crispy chicken loaded fries, I knew I had to try this more elevated version of classic steak frites. The combination of crispy fries, sliced steak, and that signature peppercorn sauce looked way too good to pass up.

Lori Jayne steak frites takes the classic combination of seared steak, crispy fries, and creamy peppercorn sauce and gives it a bolder, more savory twist. The sauce uses soy sauce, kecap manis, black vinegar, and fish sauce, along with black, red Sichuan, and green Sichuan peppercorns. It still has the richness and peppery flavor of a traditional au poivre sauce, but the Sichuan peppercorns add a citrusy aroma and gentle tingling heat. The soy sauce and fish sauce deepen the savory flavor, while the kecap manis adds just enough sweetness to balance everything out.

My version recreates the full dish with double-fried shoestring potatoes, seared strip steak, and the sauce made completely from scratch.

Ingredients

For the fries:

• 1 strip steak
• 3 large russet potatoes

For the sauce:

• 4 tablespoons steak butter
• 6 shallots, sliced into thin rings
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons kecap manis
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons black vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 cups chicken stock
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon red Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon green Sichuan peppercorns

Ingredient Notes

• Kecap manis: This thick Indonesian sweet soy sauce gives the sauce both sweetness and a deep caramelized flavor. Regular soy sauce isn’t a direct substitute. For the 2 tablespoons used here, combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce with 1 tablespoon brown sugar or molasses.
• Chinese black vinegar: Also labeled Chinkiang vinegar, this dark rice vinegar has a malty, slightly smoky flavor that adds depth and acidity to the sauce. It doesn’t taste the same as balsamic vinegar, so look for it at an Asian grocery store or in the international aisle.
• Sichuan peppercorns: Red and green Sichuan peppercorns have a citrusy aroma and create the signature tingling sensation in the sauce. They aren’t related to black pepper. Briefly toast them in a dry pan before grinding to bring out their flavor, but watch them closely so they don’t burn.
• Steak butter: This is a seasoned compound butter, usually made with garlic, herbs, and salt. It builds flavor into the shallot base, but garlic butter, herb butter, or plain unsalted butter will also work. If your compound butter is salty, taste the finished sauce before adding any extra seasoning.

How To Make Lori Jayne Steak Frites

Step 1: Prep and brine the fries

Peel the russet potatoes and slice them into thin shoestring style fries.

Submerge them in a bowl of water with a splash of vinegar and let them brine for 30-60 minutes. This step pulls excess starch out of the potatoes, which is what gives you a crispier, less limp fry after frying. Rinse thoroughly once the brine time is up.

Step 2: Double fry the potatoes

Fry the potatoes using the standard double fry method, an initial lower temperature fry to cook the potato through followed by a second higher temperature fry to crisp and color the exterior.

Remove from the oil and salt generously right when they come out and are still hot enough for the salt to stick.

Step 3: Build the sauce base

In a medium pot, sauté the sliced shallots in the steak butter over low heat. Stir occasionally and cook for about 30 minutes until the shallots turn soft and a light golden color. This slow cook is what builds the sweetness that carries through the whole sauce, so don't rush it or raise the heat to speed it up.

Step 4: Add the garlic and deglaze

Add the minced garlic and fresh thyme sprigs to the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Deglaze the pot with the bourbon and white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about a quarter.

Step 5: Add stock and reduce

Pour in the chicken stock and simmer over low heat until the sauce has reduced by roughly two thirds. This concentrates the flavor significantly and is the step that gives the finished sauce its depth, so give it the full time it needs rather than pulling it early.

Step 6: Add the sauces and cream

Once reduced, stir in the soy sauce, kecap manis, rice vinegar, black vinegar, and fish sauce, followed by the heavy cream. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens to a proper sauce consistency, glossy and coating the back of a spoon.

Step 7: Strain and season with peppercorns

Remove the sauce from the heat and strain it through a fine mesh sieve for a smooth, silky texture with no shallot or thyme pieces remaining.

Grind the black, red Sichuan, and green Sichuan peppercorns together into a fine powder and stir the peppercorn blend into the strained sauce to taste.

Step 8: Cook the steak

Cook the strip steak to your desired temperature using your preferred method, a hot pan or a hot grill both work well. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Step 9: Assemble

Fill a large paper boat or serving tray with the fresh fries. Top with the sliced steak and finish with a generous spoonful of the sauce poured directly over the top.

Tips For The Best Copycat Lori Jayne Steak Frites

• Dry the potatoes thoroughly before frying. Any moisture left on the fries can cause dangerous splattering and prevent them from crisping evenly. Spread them on a clean kitchen towel and pat them completely dry before they go into the oil.
• Let the fries cool between frying stages. Giving them at least 10 minutes to cool allows the interior to set before the final fry. This helps create a fluffier center and a crisper exterior.
• Use an instant-read thermometer for the steak. Pull the steak from the heat at about 125°F for medium-rare or 135°F for medium. The temperature will continue rising slightly as it rests.
• Rest the steak before slicing. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes so the juices stay in the meat instead of running onto the cutting board.
• Slice the steak against the grain. Cutting across the visible muscle fibers shortens them and makes each bite noticeably more tender.
• Keep the sauce warm without boiling it. Once the cream is added and the sauce is finished, hold it over very low heat. Boiling it again can cause the cream to separate or make the sauce overly thick.
• Adjust the sauce just before serving. If it thickens too much while sitting, loosen it with a small splash of chicken stock. If it’s still too thin, simmer it gently for another minute or two.
• Assemble the dish at the last minute. The fries begin softening as soon as the sauce touches them. Have the steak sliced and sauce ready, then build each serving immediately before eating.

Lori Jayne Steak Frites FAQs

What are Lori Jayne steak frites?

Lori Jayne steak frites is chef Sam Braverman’s version of the classic steak-and-fries dish. It features sliced steak served over hand-cut fries and covered with a rich, Sichuan peppercorn-forward au poivre sauce.

Why did Lori Jayne steak frites go viral?

Lori Jayne steak frites went viral after the dish was featured in the debut episode of Eater’s Most-Ordered series. The video received more than one million views within three days, inspired home recreations, and caused so many orders at the restaurant that the dish temporarily sold out.

What sauce is served on Lori Jayne steak frites?

Lori Jayne serves its steak frites with a unique take on au poivre sauce. This homemade recreation combines a shallot and wine reduction with cream, savory Asian sauces, and a blend of black, red Sichuan, and green Sichuan peppercorns.

What are steak frites?

Steak frites is a classic French and Belgian bistro dish consisting of steak served with French fries. Different versions may include béarnaise, herb butter, chimichurri, or peppercorn sauce. This Lori Jayne-inspired version is topped with a creamy Sichuan peppercorn au poivre sauce.

Are steak frites and steak au poivre the same?

No. Steak frites refers to steak served with French fries, while steak au poivre is steak prepared with a peppercorn sauce. This recipe combines the two by serving steak and fries with Lori Jayne’s Sichuan-inspired au poivre sauce.

What cut of steak is best for steak frites?

New York strip steak is an excellent choice because it has plenty of beefy flavor, good marbling, and slices neatly over the fries. Ribeye, sirloin, hanger steak, bavette, or filet mignon can also be used.

Can I use frozen fries for steak frites?

Yes, frozen shoestring fries are an easy substitute for homemade fries. Cook them until deeply golden and extra crisp, then season immediately. Assemble the dish just before serving so the sauce doesn’t soften them too quickly.

Can I make the peppercorn sauce ahead of time?

Yes, the peppercorn sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently over low heat, stirring frequently, and add a splash of chicken stock if it becomes too thick.

Can I make the steak frites sauce without alcohol?

Yes. Replace the bourbon and white wine with an equal amount of additional chicken stock. Let the stock reduce thoroughly before adding the remaining sauces and cream. The finished sauce will have less complexity, but it will still be rich, savory, and peppery.

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