On Prince Edward Island, “Fries with the Works” means a plate of fries topped with ground beef, gravy and canned peas. The four-part combination is the classic; cheese curds, onions and other extras belong to variations. This home version uses crisp fresh-cut fries and keeps the familiar toppings straightforward.
Cut the potatoes into even batons and dry them well before frying. Cook the beef thoroughly, make a smooth brown gravy, then assemble everything while hot. The first fry cooks the centres; a hotter second fry gives the potatoes a crisp shell.
Cut and soak the potatoesCut into even batons about 10 mm thick. Rinse in cold water until it runs mostly clear, then soak for 20 minutes. Drain and dry very thoroughly with clean towels.
Make the gravyMelt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden. Gradually whisk in the hot stock until smooth. Simmer 5–8 minutes, stirring, until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Add the pepper and keep hot over low heat.
Cook the beefHeat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, salt and pepper. Break it into small crumbles and cook, stirring, until browned with no pink remaining and a clean thermometer reads 71°C in several spots. If there is excess fat, spoon it off. Cover and keep hot; wash hands, utensils and surfaces that touched raw beef.
First-fry the potatoesPour oil into a heavy pot no more than half full and heat to 160°C. Fry potatoes in small batches for 5–7 minutes, until tender and pale but not browned. Lift onto a rack and let the oil return to temperature between batches.
Heat the peas and finish the friesWarm the drained peas in a small covered saucepan with a spoonful of water; drain. Raise the oil to 190°C. Fry the potatoes in batches for 2–4 minutes, until crisp and golden. Drain on the rack and season with salt.
AssembleDivide the fries among four plates. Spoon over the ground beef and peas, then ladle on hot gravy. Serve straight away so the fries retain some crispness.
Prepare the gravy and beef while the potatoes soak. Keep raw beef refrigerated at or below 4°C until cooking and separate it from ready-to-eat foods. Use a thermometer for the 71°C ground-beef target; colour alone is not a reliable safety check. For deep-frying, keep the pot less than half full, lower food carefully, avoid water near the oil and never leave hot oil unattended. Keep hot toppings hot. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or 1 hour in hot outdoor conditions, and reheat them to 74°C; the fries will soften after storage.
Rounded estimate from generic food-composition data and expected oil uptake. Stock sodium, beef leanness and absorbed frying oil vary; not a laboratory analysis.
Contains wheat/gluten from the gravy flour. Check packaged stock and any prepared fries for additional allergens. Cook ground beef to 71°C. Keep raw meat and its utensils separate from cooked food, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour in hot outdoor conditions); reheat to 74°C. Use caution with hot oil and never add wet food to it.
No. The classic PEI version is fries with ground beef, gravy and canned peas. Cheese curds may appear in newer “topped up” variations, but they are not needed for this classic plate.
