Ordering Steak in France: A Vocabulary Lesson

The typical steak here is served very, very rare. Every "saignant" (bloody) steak I’ve ordered arrived just about "blue" or very rare: a high heat sear and a bluish red middle. This applies to all red meats here, be it burgers, duck or lamb. If it is a cut of meat that can be cooked less, then it will be.

Cooking temperatures

Consider that most French places tend to err on the less-done side for the steaks listed below:

Bleu = blue

Saignant = “Bloody” rare

À point = medium rare

Bien cuit = well done, gray middle

If you’re looking for a good & simple way to cook a steak, I like this one, which modernizes Julia Child’s classic version a bit.

Cuts of meat

As American butchers and French butchers seem to do things slightly differently, ordering a steak is really more of a vocabulary lesson. It’s also really remarkable just how little of the overall meat of a cow is used for these cuts.

Cuts that can be served medium rare, in French and American butchery terms:

1. Filet Mignon (Tenderloin)

   - French: Filet de bœuf

   - American: Tenderloin

2. Entrecôte (Ribeye)

   - French: Entrecôte

   - American: Ribeye

3. Chateaubriand

   - French: Chateaubriand

   - American: Center-cut Tenderloin; the term Chateaubriand is used primarily for the preparation rather than the cut of meat.

4. Bavette (Flank Steak)

   - French: Bavette

   - American: Flank Steak

5. Onglet (Hanger Steak)

   - French: Onglet

   - American: Hanger Steak

6. Tournedos

   - French: Tournedos (specific small round cuts from the tenderloin)

   - American: Filet Mignon or Medallions (often used interchangeably, though technically tournedos is a specific preparation of filet mignon, tied with bacon and usually thicker)