Michel Boucher muttered....

"Bryan J. Maloney" wrote in
93.32:

(William Dieterich) nattered on
le.com:

Could someone please fill me in on this or point me to a site.

I was wondering what the origin of Steak American is and why it
is called what it is.

I have never even heard of such a thing, and I've been American
all my 37 years. My mother has never heard of such a thing, and
she's been American her whole life (60 years). This sounds like
something that is as "American" as "German Chocolate Cake" is
"German".

Obviously you don't get out much.

If you'd all spelled it correctly, you'd have found it. It's "steak
américain" or for you keyboard challenged "steak americain". It is
also sometimes referred to as "filet américain" and "steak tartare".

The original poster was the misspledder....(and Brian's answer was quite
reasonable for a Western Hemispherian for whom "steak tartare" is the
consistent nomenclature).

If I saw "Steak American" on a European menu, I would likely envision a
TBone or Porterhouse, cuts rarely served there.

.....But then there's the entire Lobster debate, was it "l'Americain" or
really "L'Amoricain".....

As for eating horse, only starving Flamands, depraved Johnny Crapauds and
the dreadful Apache would engage in such degeneracy, and the Apache
preferred mule.


Possibly it is called "américain" because it is considered exotic.
Certainly it was the fashion in 19th century France to use the term
to suggest foreign or exotic goods, services...

A suggestion was made that it preceded the term "steak tartare" and
may have originally been a steak of horse meat, with the association
with the Far-Ouest (Western as in "giddyap lil dawgies", to US
people) which was popular in penny literature of the day.

It might also be connected to the Café Américain (1870's in Paris).

Lets keep in mind also that "américain" sometimes includes South
America, at least in Europe. It seems that it may have its origins
in Belgium as it seems to be a natural with Belgian condiments and
accompaniments (fries):

Filet américain

Ingrédients:

600 g de bœuf hâché
Mayonnaise en pot ou faite maison
2 c à s de câpres
Quelques gouttes de sauce Worcestershire (selon les goûts)
Cornichons et petits oignons.
Sel et poivre du moulin

Préparation:

Mettre le boeuf haché dans un plat.
Ajouter quelques cuillères à soupe de mayonnaise.
Mélanger.
Ajouter la sauce worcestershire, le sel, le poivre et les câpres.
Mélanger.
Goûter et vérifier l'assaisonnement.
Former 4 boules de ce mélange et les disposer sur 4 assiettes. Et
décorer ces boules de cornichons et de petits oignons.

Servir le filet américain avec des frites et de la salade.

Peruse also: http://www.catulle.com/fr/presse.htm

under Filet américain where it suggests that indeed horse meat was
the first used to produce this raw dish. Horsemeat was chosen
because the animal (it explains) is not subject to turberculosis or
ringworm and therefore can be eaten raw quite safely.

But given the time frame in question, would any have known of the
communicability/vectors for TB?

Ringworm? Are you sure? I suspect it's another parasite to which you
refer.

I tend to classify the European eating of horsemeat into the category of
available protein sources in the centuries before "restaurants".

In the Americas, beef cattle (and pork in appropriate climes) were availabe
and easier to raise, while horses tended to have a higher status. On the
other hand, in the perspective of a fairly well grounded school of
historians, the Aztecs who migrated to dominate the great Valley of Mexico
adopted cannibalism due to local animal protein shortages, "ate" their
tribute-paying neighboring tribes, and developed a highly organized form of
ceremonial sacrifice to provide a sort of religious cover for the activity.

So "Steak Nahuatl" or "Biftek Teotitlan" ought to be avoided when
traveling....

TMO