Caribbean Steak Frites with Scotch Bonnet-Garlic Butter

The finished Caribbean steak frites — seared Wagyu NY strip sliced and fanned on a plate, served alongside crispy golden plantain frites.

---

Table of Contents

• Why This Recipe Works

• Ingredient Notes

• How to Make Caribbean Steak Frites

• Tips for the Perfect Sear

• Storage & Reheating

• FAQ

---

Why This Recipe Works

Steak frites is a steakhouse classic for a reason — good steak, crispy fries, done. This version keeps that same energy but takes it home to the islands. Instead of a compound herb butter, you get a scotch bonnet-garlic butter that melts straight into the meat. Instead of potato fries, you get double-fried plantains — same crispy technique, completely different flavor. It's familiar enough to know exactly what you're getting, and different enough to actually be exciting.

I made this one with beautiful American Wagyu NY strip from Snake River Farms — the marbling on this cut makes it basically impossible to overcook into something dry, which makes it a great one if you're a little nervous about searing a premium steak at home.

---

---

Ingredient Notes

• NY Strip steak — a great balance of tenderness and beefy flavor, and it sears beautifully. Ribeye works too if you want more marbling.

• Green plantains — you want them firm and green, not ripe/black. Green plantains fry up starchy and crisp, just like a potato fry.

• Scotch bonnet pepper — this is where the heat and the signature Caribbean flavor comes from. Start with half a pepper if you're heat-sensitive; you can always add more.

• Beef tallow (or oil) — tallow adds extra richness since it's beef-on-beef, but a neutral oil works fine too.

The scotch bonnet-garlic compound butter shaped into a log and wrapped in plastic, ready to chill before slicing into coins.

---

How to Make Caribbean Steak Frites

1. Make the scotch bonnet-garlic butter. Mash softened butter with minced garlic, minced scotch bonnet, thyme, and lime zest. Roll into a log and chill.

2. Season the steak and let it come to room temp for about 30 minutes before cooking.

3. Fry the plantains twice — once at a lower temp to cook through, then again at a higher temp to crisp up. Same method that makes French fries crispy.

4. Sear the steak in a hot cast iron pan until you've got a deep crust, then rest it.

5. Slice, plate, and top with a coin of the chilled butter so it melts right over the meat. Finish with flaky salt.

---

Green plantains peeled and cut into fry-shaped batons on a cutting board, prepped for double-frying.

---

Tips for the Perfect Sear

• Pat the steak completely dry before seasoning — moisture is the enemy of a good crust.

• Let the pan get properly hot before the steak goes in; you want it to sizzle immediately.

• Always rest the steak for at least 5 minutes before slicing so the juices stay in.

---

Plantain batons frying in hot oil, turning golden as they crisp up in the pan.

---

Storage & Reheating

Leftover steak keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a low oven or skillet to avoid overcooking it further — it's already cooked through, you're just warming it. The scotch bonnet butter can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week, or frozen for longer.

---

The finished double-fried plantain frites, deep golden and crispy, piled in a bowl and tossed with salt.

---

FAQs

• Can I use a different cut of steak? Yes — ribeye or filet mignon both work well here. Just adjust cook time slightly for thickness.

• Are green plantains the same as regular bananas? No — plantains are starchier and not meant to be eaten raw. Green plantains specifically fry up more like a potato.

• How spicy is the scotch bonnet butter? Scotch bonnets are hot, but starting with half a pepper keeps it manageable while still giving you that signature Caribbean flavor. Adjust to taste.

• Where did you get this steak? This one's from Snake River Farms — I've worked with their American Wagyu a few times now and it's consistently some of the best beef I've cooked with. You can check out their cuts here.

---

The completed Caribbean steak frites dish — sliced Wagyu steak with scotch bonnet-garlic butter, plated with a generous pile of crispy plantain frites, ready to serve.

---

More Recipes You'll Love

• Honey-Ginger Scotch Bonnet Lamb Chops

• Jamaican Oxtail Mac and Cheese

• Pimento‑Crusted Steak with Rum‑Peppercorn Pan Sauce

---

Print

Caribbean Steak Frites with Scotch Bonnet-Garlic Butter

Yield 2

Author Kim Alexander

Prep time

20 Min

Cook time

18 Min

Total time

38 Min

Steak frites gets a Caribbean upgrade - seared American Wagyu, a scotch bonnet-garlic butter that melts right into the meat, and crispy double-fried plantains standing in for the fries.

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• 2 Snake River Farms NY Strip steaks
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoons coarse black pepper
• 1 tablespoons beef tallow (or neutral oil)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced (start with half)
• 1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 lime, zested
• 3 green plantains, peeled and cut into fry-shaped batons
• 2 cups beef tallow or neutral oil, for frying
• 1 teaspoons fine salt, for the frites
• 1 pinch flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. Make the scotch bonnet-garlic butter: Mash together 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, 3 garlic cloves, finely minced, 1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced (start with half), 1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, and 1 lime, zested in a small bowl until fully combined. Scoop onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a tight log, twisting the ends closed. Chill in the freezer while you prep everything else - it needs to be firm enough to slice into a coin later.
2. Season and rest the steaks: Pat 2 Snake River Farms NY Strip steaks completely dry with paper towels, then season generously with 1 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoons coarse black pepper on both sides, pressing it in. Let the steaks sit at room temperature for 30 minutes - this helps them cook evenly instead of staying cold in the center.
3. Peel and cut the plantains: Cut off both ends of each 3 green plantains. Using a paring knife, score the peel lengthwise in 2-3 strips down the plantain (don't cut into the flesh). Peel back and remove the skin with your fingers - green plantain skin is thick and won't peel like a banana, so use the knife to help loosen it if needed. Cut each plantain in half crosswise, then slice each half lengthwise into 3-4 fry-shaped batons.
4. Fry the plantains, first pass: Pour 2 cups beef tallow or neutral oil, for frying into a deep, heavy pot — you want at least 2 inches of oil/tallow. Heat over medium until it reaches 300°F (use a thermometer, or test by dropping in a small piece of plantain — it should bubble gently, not aggressively). Fry the plantain batons in batches (don't crowd the pot) for 4 minutes until pale gold and just cooked through but not browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack.
5. Sear the steaks: Heat 1 tablespoons beef tallow (or neutral oil) in a cast iron skillet over high heat for 10 minutes, until it's just starting to smoke. Carefully lay the steaks in — they should sizzle loudly right away. Sear for 3-4 minutes on the first side without moving them, then flip and sear another 3-4 minutes for medium-rare (internal temp of 130-135°F). In the last minute, tilt the pan and spoon the hot fat over the steaks a few times. Move the steaks to a wire rack (not a plate, so they don't steam) and rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
6. Fry the plantains, second pass: Raise the frying oil to 350°F. Fry the par-cooked plantains a second time, in batches, for 3 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp on the outside. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate and immediately toss with 1 teaspoons fine salt, for the frites while hot, so the salt sticks.
7. Slice the rested steak against the grain into strips about 1/2-inch thick. Fan the slices on a plate. Take the chilled butter log out of the freezer and slice off a thick coin (about 1/2-inch); place it on top of the warm steak so it starts melting immediately. Finish with a pinch of 1 pinch flaky sea salt, for finishing and serve right away with the plantain frites alongside.

Notes

Fry in beef tallow instead of oil for extra richness (beef on beef).

Serve on a dark plate, steak fanned off-center, butter melting on top, plantains stacked with height for a restaurant-style presentation.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

1222

Fat

70 g

Sat. Fat

33 g

Carbs

105 g

Fiber

7 g

Net carbs

98 g

Sugar

7 g

Protein

44 g

Sodium

2511 mg

Cholesterol

225 mg

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @HomeCookVibe on instagram and hashtag it #homecookblog