Finely minced raw beef seasoned with ingredients such as mustard, capers, onion and egg yolk, closely related to steak tartare and served with fries.

Filet américain is a raw beef preparation associated particularly with Belgian cuisine and closely related to steak tartare. In Belgium, américain nature is plain minced beef seasoned at the table and américain préparé has the seasonings mixed in. It is eaten as a sandwich filling, a starter or a main dish, often with fries. In Bruges, Bistro Refter on Molenmeers lists an Americain with frietjes and salad for €33.

Where to eat Filet Americain in Bruges

1 editor pick for Filet Americain in Bruges, ranked by editorial score. All Bruges signature dishes · Filet Americain across every city.

  • Bistro Refter

    Order Young cockerel on the spit with fries, salad and tarragon sauce, then a dame blanche to finish.

    Bistro Refter at Molenmeers 2 in Bruges serves bistro classics, such as a young cockerel on the spit with fries, salad and a tarragon sauce.

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Make it at home

Serves 430 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 400g very fresh beef sirloin or rump (from a trusted butcher; ideally the cut has been previously frozen at minus 20 degrees Celsius for 7 days for safety)
  • 150ml good quality mayonnaise (Belgian style, made with whole egg)
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp drained capers, finely chopped
  • 4 cornichons (gherkins), finely chopped
  • 1 small white onion, very finely diced
  • 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Tabasco or hot sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • Pinch of sweet paprika
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • To serve: 8 thick slices of dense rye or dark country bread (or 4 small Belgian rolls cut open), 12 small cornichons, 200g good Belgian frites (already cooked, kept hot), Maldon sea salt
  • Garnish: 4 raw egg yolks (optional, in half-shells; the canonical Belgian touch)

Method

  1. Trim the beef of all sinew and silverskin. Slice thin against the grain, then chop with a sharp knife into very small dice (3 to 4mm). Do not use a food processor; the hand-chopped texture is essential. Keep the meat in the fridge until the final assembly.
  2. In a clean cold bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, Dijon, Worcestershire, Tabasco, ketchup and paprika to a smooth seasoning base.
  3. Add the chopped capers, gherkins, anchovy, onion and parsley to the mayonnaise; stir.
  4. Just before serving, fold the very cold chopped beef into the seasoned mayonnaise with two forks; do not crush. Adjust salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
  5. For the canonical service: lay one slice of bread per plate. Mound 100g of filet americain on each, smooth into a dome with the back of a spoon.
  6. For the Belgian flourish: make a small well in the centre of each mound and slide in a raw egg yolk (or serve in half a shell on top).
  7. Garnish each plate with 3 small cornichons, a small handful of hot crisp frites, and a pinch of Maldon salt.
  8. Eat with a knife and fork on bread, or scoop with the frites directly off the plate. Serve a cold Belgian Brugse Zot blonde alongside.

Editor tip. Beef freshness and chop technique are the dish; use a trusted butcher with rapid-turnover prime rump. Chop immediately before serving, never in advance, or the meat oxidises and turns brown. Do not stir aggressively when combining; the texture should remain coarse and visible.

Common allergens: Egg, Mustard.