Bison Gravy Dirty Fries as Served at Arable in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as seen on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Season 30.
Recipe courtesy of Arable

Bison Gravy Smothered Fries

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  • Level: Advanced
  • Total: 2 hr 40 min (includes cooling time)
  • Active: 1 hr
  • Yield: 6 portions

Ingredients

Directions

Special equipment:
a pressure cooker; an immersion blender; a deep-fryer or deep-frying thermometer
  1. Heat a pressure cooker on the saute function. Sprinkle the meat on both sides with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to the pressure cooker, then sear meat, allowing it to brown, flipping once. Remove the meat from the pan. Add garlic, shallots, carrots and celery to the pressure cooker, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and allow to sweat lightly until tender, about 8 minutes. Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Drop in bay leaves, then add stock and tomato. Place the meat back in the pressure cooker, nestling into the veggies and liquid. Top off with fresh thyme. Seal the pressure cooker according to the manufacturer's instructions, and pressure cook on high for 45 minutes.
  2. Depressurize pot according to manufacturer's instructions, then remove lid when it's safe to do so. Let meat cool until it's comfortable to touch, then shred by hand. It will be very tender and easy to do! Reserve the bones, scooping marrow out with a spoon, to be added to the finished sauce.
  3. Puree all remaining veggies and liquid with an immersion blender until smooth, then blend in the reserved bone marrow, chopped green chiles and Worcestershire sauce. Taste for seasoning. Add the shredded meat back to the sauce. Reheat when you are ready to serve.
  4. Cut potatoes into fries with a tabletop french fry cutter or by hand. Rinse potatoes in cold water, and hold in water. Set a pot of salted water to boil, then add potatoes and blanch in the water just until they begin to soften on the outside, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and cool.
  5. To make the best, crispiest french fries, you'll need a deep-fryer or a Dutch oven filled with oil and a deep-frying thermometer attached. Bring the oil to 250 degrees F and fry the potatoes 4 minutes, then drain and cool. (These can be held for 2 to 3 days, refrigerated.) When ready to eat, bring the oil to 370 degrees F and fry the potatoes again until crispy golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain and season right away with salt and pepper.
  6. Preheat the broiler or oven to 450 degrees F.
  7. Place fries in an ovenproof dish, smother with bison gravy, then top with Gruyere. Broil or bake until the cheese is just melted. Garnish with chives.

Cook’s Note

If making your own fries is intimidating, you could pour this gravy over roasted or mashed potatoes and still have an incredible meal.