Filet Américain Préparé
Finely minced raw beef seasoned with mustard, capers, onion and Worcestershire sauce.
- prep
- 20 min
- cook
- 0 min
- total
- 20 min
- serves
- 4
- level
- easy
Filet américain préparé is Belgium's version of steak tartare, finely minced raw beef mixed with mustard, capers and Worcestershire sauce rather than left plain, and it's genuinely everywhere, sold ready-seasoned at most Belgian butchers and supermarkets.
Despite the name, it has nothing to do with the United States; the seasoning is distinctly Belgian, and it's eaten constantly, not treated as a special-occasion dish.
Part of our 20 best Belgian recipes list.
method
Make sure the beef is extremely fresh and well chilled; mince or very finely hand-chop it just before mixing.
In a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, capers, onion, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and egg yolk until smooth.
Add the minced beef to the seasoning mixture, and fold gently with a fork until evenly combined; avoid overworking it, which can make the texture pasty.
Taste a small cooked portion if you'd like to check the seasoning balance, frying a spoonful briefly, then adjust salt, pepper or mustard in the raw mixture to taste.
Shape into a neat mound or patty on each plate, and finish with a little extra pepper and parsley.
Serve immediately, well chilled, with fries or crusty bread.
chef's tips
- Filet américain depends entirely on the freshness and quality of the beef; buy it the same day you plan to serve it, from a butcher you trust for raw preparations.
- Mixing it just before serving, rather than ahead of time, keeps the texture from turning mushy as the acid in the mustard and Worcestershire works on the meat.