Duck Fat Steak Fries

Name: Duck Fat Steak Fries
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 large russet potatoes, each cut into 8 thick steak fry-size wedges; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme; 1 pinch cayenne pepper; salt and ground black pepper to taste; 2 tablespoons duck fat, melted, or more to taste

Rating: 4.87 stars

23 Ratings
17 Reviews
9 Photos

You know a potato side dish is going to be good when 75% of the name refers to fat or meat. These super-crusty, oven-fried potato wedges, or ‘steak fries' as they call them where I'm from, are done with rendered duck fat, and while I'm a big fan of ones done with olive oil and/or butter, these really are better.

By Chef John

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Recipe Summary

prep:

15 mins

cook:

1 hr

total:

1 hr 15 mins

Servings:

Yield:

4 servings

Nutrition Info

Ingredients

Original recipe yields 4 servings

The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

2 large russet potatoes, each cut into 8 thick steak fry-size wedges
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 pinch cayenne pepper
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons duck fat, melted, or more to taste

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

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Step 2

Place potato wedges in a bowl; sprinkle thyme, cayenne, salt, and black pepper over the top. Drizzle melted duck fat over potatoes and toss to coat.
Step 3

Transfer potatoes, skin-side down, to the prepared baking sheet. Season wedges again with salt.
Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Turn potatoes onto their sides and bake for 10 minutes. Flip over and cook on the other side until golden brown, about 10 minutes more.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

203 calories; protein 4g; carbohydrates 33.5g; fat 6.6g; cholesterol 6.4mg; sodium 9.3mg. Full Nutrition

Reviews (17)

Most helpful positive review

Baricat

04/16/2015

Absolutely ridiculous!! The thyme is an unexpected and stellar addition. The only change I made was to soak the cut potatoes in very hot tap water for 10 minutes, then I dried them with a smooth kitchen towel before tossing them with the spices and fat. This accomplishes a few things that improve the final product. First, it rinses off excess starch from the surface which prevents the leathery, mottled, overbrowned skin that often forms on oven fries. See the picture above. The skin will be thin and crispy, evenly golden if you do the soak. Secondly, it starts the cooking process, which seals the moisture inside the potatoes, so that while the outside crisps, the inside stays delightfully soft and fluffy. That's a winning combination, obviously. Thirdly, by sealing the outside, the amount of fat that soaks in (and which you ingest) is minimized. The fat adds a subtle, complex layer of flavor that just isn't there with fries cooked in vegetable fat. Yeah, yeah, I know. Cholesterol. Just so long as you don't make a habit of them, which is admittedly a temptation, the occasional indulgence won't be a big deal. Trust me. They'll be fighting over who gets the last couple. Read More

Helpful

(12)

23 Ratings

5 star values: 22
4 star values: 0
3 star values: 0
2 star values: 1
1 star values: 0

Reviews: Most Helpful

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Baricat

04/16/2015

Helpful

(12)

voraciousgirl

04/03/2014

A co-worker made them- I couldn't stop eating them. Crisp flavorful and delicious! Read More

Helpful

(6)

jennifermo

03/03/2014

Another winner! Simple and so so delicious. Thank you Chef John! Read More

Helpful

(4)

emersonreturn

05/07/2016

yes i made some changes...i boiled the potatoes as suggested by another site for 5mins drained them in a colander & banged them a bit in the process which it suggested roughens the surface allowing for greater browning & absorption of the duck fat. roasted them as chef john suggested. only complaint was i hadn't made enough. i love chef john. Read More

Helpful

(1)

Alli Shircliff

03/07/2014

So decadently delicious! Read More

Helpful

(1)

Seth Kolloen

03/07/2014

Amazing crisp out of the oven. Yuuuuummmm!!! Read More

Helpful

(1)

mommyluvs2cook

01/22/2015

These. Are. So. Good. Used dried thyme which worked out well. Next time I will be sure to use fresh though yummy!! Read More

Helpful

(1)

studmuffin

03/25/2018

As with all things Chef-John this was a winner. Last time I made it I used sweet potatoes. Boiled the fries until close to being done drained and dried. Sprinkled a bit of cinnamon on the fries. Was a great compliment to bourbon glazed salmon and raspberry broccoli. Read More