Michel Boucher wrote:

"Bryan J. Maloney" wrote in
93.32:=20
=20
(William Dieterich) nattered on=20
ogle.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".=20
=20
Obviously you don't get out much.

Obviously doesn't get to France or Belgium and order raw meat much in=20
places that call it that rather than "tartare."

If you'd all spelled it correctly, you'd have found it.

"Correctly?" It was spelled that way by the OP.

It's "steak=20
am=E9ricain" or for you keyboard challenged "steak americain". It is=20
also sometimes referred to as "filet am=E9ricain" and "steak tartare".

When I lived in Brussels, a group of us hung out in a small restaurant=20
that had a kitchen we could look into. The cook, Jacques Le Bon, a=20
Belgian, chopped the beef with two knives for each order and hated=20
doing it. He'd chop a fist-sized chunk of meat, filling the air with=20
whispered curses in several languages all the while. Then he'd plate=20
it with wonderful accompaniments in a splendidly eye-appealing design=20
and bring it out, smiling as though he meant it. (Unlike the recipe=20
below, no Worcestershire, but always a raw egg in a shallow well in=20
the middle of the meat. On a big oval plate. 150 grams is about the=20
same portions size. Cornichons alongside, and capers and chopped onion=20
strewn over top. Thin buttered and grilled croutons of baguette tucked=20
slightly under the meat like petals of a flower. Vast pile of frites=20
with jewels of big salt crystals at the other end of the plate.)

I asked him once why it was called "Am=E9ricain" since raw beef was not=20
a popular dish in the U.S. and he said because it was a pain in the=20
ass, smiling at the U.S. flag on my sleeve. I bought the drinks that=20
night and gave him a red, white and blue shirt with stars and stripes.=20
He wore it often.

Pastorio

Possibly it is called "am=E9ricain" because it is considered exotic. =20
Certainly it was the fashion in 19th century France to use the term=20
to suggest foreign or exotic goods, services...
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A suggestion was made that it preceded the term "steak tartare" and=20
may have originally been a steak of horse meat, with the association=20
with the Far-Ouest (Western as in "giddyap lil dawgies", to US=20
people) which was popular in penny literature of the day.
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It might also be connected to the Caf=E9 Am=E9ricain (1870's in Paris).=

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Lets keep in mind also that "am=E9ricain" sometimes includes South=20
America, at least in Europe. It seems that it may have its origins=20
in Belgium as it seems to be a natural with Belgian condiments and=20
accompaniments (fries):
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Filet am=E9ricain=20
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Ingr=E9dients:
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600 g de b=9Cuf h=E2ch=E9=20
Mayonnaise en pot ou faite maison=20
2 c =E0 s de c=E2pres=20
Quelques gouttes de sauce Worcestershire (selon les go=FBts)=20
Cornichons et petits oignons.=20
Sel et poivre du moulin=20
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Pr=E9paration:
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Mettre le boeuf hach=E9 dans un plat.=20
Ajouter quelques cuill=E8res =E0 soupe de mayonnaise.=20
M=E9langer.=20
Ajouter la sauce worcestershire, le sel, le poivre et les c=E2pres.=20
M=E9langer.=20
Go=FBter et v=E9rifier l'assaisonnement.=20
Former 4 boules de ce m=E9lange et les disposer sur 4 assiettes. Et=20
d=E9corer ces boules de cornichons et de petits oignons.=20
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Servir le filet am=E9ricain avec des frites et de la salade.=20
=20
Peruse also: http://www.catulle.com/fr/presse.htm
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under Filet am=E9ricain where it suggests that indeed horse meat was=20
the first used to produce this raw dish. Horsemeat was chosen=20
because the animal (it explains) is not subject to turberculosis or=20
ringworm and therefore can be eaten raw quite safely.
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