Steak and Chips at Home in 30 Minutes

Everything you need for a proper steakhouse dinner at home, without the price tag. Twice-cooked oven chips turn golden and crisp while the steak sears to a deep crust and rests to juicy perfection. Ready in half an hour for two.

Steak and chips is pure pleasure done right, and it’s far easier than you’d think. The trick is timing: get the chips roasting first so they crisp up while you sear and rest the steak. A hot pan, generous seasoning and a proper rest are all it takes to turn two supermarket steaks into a dinner worth staying in for.

Ingredients

• 2 x 225g sirloin steaks — about 2.5cm thick, brought to room temperature
• 600g Maris Piper potatoes — peeled and cut into 1cm chips
• 3 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil — for the chips
• 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil — for the steak
• 25g butter
• 2 cloves garlic — lightly crushed, skin on
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme — optional
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put the chipped potatoes in a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 4 minutes until the edges just soften. Drain well and leave to steam-dry in the colander for a couple of minutes, then tip onto a baking tray, add the 3 tbsp oil and toss to coat.
2. Roast the chips for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway, until deep golden and crisp at the edges. Time this so they finish just as the steak has rested.
3. Meanwhile, pat the steaks completely dry with kitchen paper and season all over generously with the sea salt and black pepper. Dry steak is the secret to a good crust.
4. Get a heavy frying pan or griddle very hot over a high heat. Add the 1 tbsp oil, then lay the steaks away from you. Sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until a deep brown crust forms, then flip and sear the other side for 2-3 minutes for medium-rare.
5. Add the butter, crushed garlic and thyme to the pan. As the butter foams, tilt the pan and spoon it over the steaks for 30-60 seconds to baste. For steak that is cooked through with no pink remaining, continue cooking a further 2-3 minutes per side until firm and piping hot throughout.
6. Transfer the steaks to a warm plate and rest for at least 5 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Resting lets the juices settle so they don't run out when you cut.
7. Pile the crisp chips alongside, spoon any resting juices over the steak and finish with an extra pinch of flaky salt. Serve straight away.

Serve it with

• A crisp dressed green salad
• Peppercorn or Diane sauce
• Garlic butter or blue cheese butter
• Grilled tomatoes and flat mushrooms
• A cold glass of red wine

Why this works

Par-boiling then roasting the potatoes roughens their surface for maximum crunch, while a very hot pan and a dry, well-seasoned steak deliver a deep Maillard crust without overcooking the middle.

Common swaps

• Use ribeye or rump instead of sirloin; rump is cheaper and full of flavour
• Swap Maris Piper for King Edward or another floury potato
• Make skinny fries by cutting the chips thinner and roasting a few minutes less
• No thyme? Rosemary or a bay leaf works just as well for basting
• For a lighter finish, cook the chips in an air fryer at 200C for 18-20 minutes

Common mistakes to avoid

• Cooking cold steak straight from the fridge, which cooks unevenly and stays cold in the middle
• Crowding the pan or moving the steak too soon, so it steams instead of searing
• Skipping the rest, which lets all the juices spill onto the board
• Not drying the potatoes before roasting, leaving them soft rather than crisp

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Best eaten fresh. Store any leftover steak and chips separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Reheating: Reheat chips in a hot oven or air fryer at 200C for 5-8 minutes to re-crisp. Leftover steak is best sliced thinly and eaten cold in a salad or sandwich, as reheating tends to overcook it.

Allergen notes: contains Milk. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.