Sheet Pan Meatball Steak Frites

One of my all-time favorite French dishes is steak frites. It’s a classic. But really, what’s not to like about it? Nothing beats a perfectly cooked steak with a peppercorn sauce and of course, fries (I’ll never say no to fries). I know that French fries aren’t really considered to be all that fancy, but to me it’s a fancy dish that I’ll order once in a while. To be honest though, steak (a good steak) isn’t always on the budget and so I wanted to come up with a version that was easier on the wallet, but didn’t skimp on flavor. This Sheet Pan Meatball Steak Frites is the perfect meal when you want a fancy date night-in but don’t want to break the bank. The great part is that its all done on a baking sheet (aside from the sauce, I couldn’t make that work in the oven for us), so it’s much easier and much cleaner than searing a steak on the stove. 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Peel and rinse the potatoes. Then cut into thin fry-shaped pieces and place in a large bowl filled with cold water.

**Note: I like using russet potatoes for this because they stand up to the high temperature of the oven. Also, you want to make sure you cut the fries into similar shapes so that they all cook evenly in the oven. Not too thick but also not too thin.**

Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes. Drain and then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Make sure they’re as dry as possible.

**Tip: Don’t skip the soaking step. I know it seems like a hassle, especially if you want fries fast! But the soaking helps remove any excess starch from the potatoes, which will then leave you with a crispier oven fry. Likewise, after the soak, you want to make sure the potatoes are very dry. Any excess moisture will prevent them from getting crispy.**

Return the super dried potatoes to the bowl (you can rinse it out quickly and just pat it dry) and then drizzle in the olive oil. Add the salt, pepper, granulated garlic and paprika and give it a toss until evenly combined.

**Note: I know it seems like a lot of oil but it’s definitely less than if you were to deep-fry them. The truth is, they just need plenty of oil to get crispy in the oven. Don’t shy away from it.**

Pour out onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading them into an even single layer. Bake for 20 minutes.

**Note: Make sure they’re spread out in an even layer, because again (I know I sound like a broken record) but that’ll ensure they cook properly and get crispy.**

Meanwhile, to make the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine the ground sirloin, eggs, bread crumbs, milk, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper until just mixed through.

**Tip: When making meatballs (of any kind) you never want to over-work the meat when mixing because you’ll end up with tough meatballs. So just work it in with your hands (or a fork) until it comes together.**

Shape into twelve even-sized meatballs about the size of a golfball. You want to make sure they are all the same size so that they bake up evenly.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and then raise the oven temperature to 425°F. Carefully push the potatoes to one side of the baking sheet, making sure to leave them in a single layer as best as possible. Place the meatballs onto the empty side of the pan in a single layer, spaced out a bit. Bake until the fries are golden brown and the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F, about 30 to 35 minutes.

To make the sauce, set a medium saucepan over moderate heat with the butter. Once melted, add the shallot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the brandy and cook until it’s almost all evaporated from the pan and that harsh alcohol smell is gone.

**Note: I like to use brandy for this, I always keep some on hand for baking or cooking. But you can also use cognac or even marsala wine (dry not sweet) for this as well. Or you can just omit it altogether if you’re not into the booze.**

Stir in the stock and simmer uncovered until the sauce has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer, making sure it doesn’t boil, until the sauce has reduced slightly and thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the peppercorns and give it a taste. Adjust seasoning, adding salt or more pepper as needed.

Once the meatballs are done, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Serve the meatballs with the peppercorn sauce spooned over them and garnish the meatballs and the fries with the parsley.

I spooned the sauce over the meatballs onto the baking sheet itself, solely for the purposes of these images (because it looks better). But ideally, you’d want to serve up the meatballs and fries onto plates and then serve the sauce on the side or spoon it on the side directly onto the plates.

If you want to spruce up the fries even more (flavor wise) you can sprinkle them with grated parmesan at the end, or/and you can add chopped garlic to them before you bake them. I like to eat my steak frites with a creamy peppercorn sauce, which is why I made these with it, but if you prefer a béarnaise sauce that would be great too.

If you’re a fan of steak frites but are afraid to cook an expensive steak at home, or if it’s just not in the budget (I get it) then this sheet pan meatball version is the way to go. The sheet pan makes it super easy (no stove-top mess) and using ground beef makes it budget friendly. It’s a win-win. Give it a try! Let me know if you have any questions or comments below. Stay safe out there my friends.

Sheet Pan Meatball Steak Frites

Sheet Pan Meatball Steak Frites is like a fancy dinner but on a budget, and sometimes that's just as good!

Servings 4 servings

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

Oven-Baked Fries:

• 3 medium russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Meatballs:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 4 garlic cloves grated
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves stripped and chopped
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves stripped and chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Green Peppercorn Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small shallot finely chopped
• 1/3 cup brandy or cognac
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon crushed green or black peppercorns

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Peel and rinse the potatoes. Then cut into thin fry-shaped pieces and place in a large bowl filled with cold water. Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes. Drain and then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Make sure they're as dry as possible. Return to the bowl and drizzle in the olive oil. Add the salt, pepper, granulated garlic and paprika and give it a toss until evenly combined. Pour out onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading them into an even single layer. Bake for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, to make the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine the ground sirloin, eggs, bread crumbs, milk, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper until just mixed through. Shape into twelve even meatballs about the size of a golfball.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and then raise the oven temperature to 425°F. Carefully push the potatoes to one side of the baking sheet, making sure to leave them in a single layer as best as possible. Place the meatballs onto the empty side of the pan in a single layer, spaced out a bit. Bake until the fries are golden brown and the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F, about 30 to 35 minutes.
• To make the sauce, set a medium saucepan over moderate heat with the butter. Once melted, add the shallot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the brandy and cook until it's almost all evaporated from the pan and that harsh alcohol smell is gone. Stir in the stock and simmer uncovered until the sauce has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer, making sure it doesn't boil, until the sauce has reduced slightly and thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the peppercorns and give it a taste. Adjust seasoning, adding salt or more pepper as needed.
• Once the meatballs are done, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Serve the meatballs with the peppercorn sauce spooned over them and garnish the meatballs and the fries with the parsley. Enjoy!

Author: The Candid Appetite