Beef Wellington

Name: Beef Wellington
Cook time: 165 min
Total time: 165 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 kg Beef Tenderloin, center-cut, trimmed (beef fillet); 1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt, fine; 1 tsp Pepper (Black), freshly ground; 1 tbsp Olive Oil, for searing; 2 tbsp English Mustard; 10 slices of Parma Ham, prosciutto; about 180–200 g; 500g Puff Pastry, all-butter; 2 Egg Yolks, beaten with milk (egg wash); 1 tbsp Milk, for egg wash; 500g Mushrooms, chestnut or button, very finely chopped; 2 Shallots, finely chopped; 2 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped; 30g Butter, unsalted; 1 tsp Thyme, fresh leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme); 1/2 tsp Sea Salt, fine; 1/4 tsp Pepper (Black), freshly ground; 1 Shallots, finely chopped; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 250ml Red Wine, dry; 100ml Madeira, or Port; 400ml Beef Stock; 1 sprigs of Thyme; 1 Bay Leaves; 6 peppercorns of Pepper (Black); 30g Butter, cold, unsalted, to finish the sauce

Classic Beef Wellington is an elegant centerpiece: a tender, seared beef fillet encased in a savory mushroom duxelles, wrapped in delicately salty Parma ham and golden puff pastry. The contrast of crisp pastry and rich, medium-rare beef makes every slice dramatic and delicious — perfect for special occasions or a show-stopping dinner.

Classic Beef Wellington is an elegant centerpiece: a tender, seared beef fillet encased in a savory mushroom duxelles, wrapped in ... Show more

Traditional British Recipe

Health Grade

C · Balanced

Time

2 hrs30 min

Price

4,33 €

Calories

1032 kcal

high protein

low sugar

date night

holiday/special occasion

Method

Prep the aromatics

Gently wipe the Mushrooms clean if needed, trim any dry ends, and chop them as finely as you can with a knife or pulse briefly in a food processor until they look like coarse crumbs, not purée. Peel and finely chop the Shallots and Garlic. Pick the leaves from the Thyme for the duxelles and keep a whole sprig aside for the jus.

Heat the pan

Set a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and let it get properly hot, then add the Olive Oil and swirl to coat the pan.

Sear the beef

Pat the Beef Tenderloin very dry, then season it all over with the Sea Salt and Black Pepper. Lay it in the hot pan and sear for about 8 minutes total, turning every 1–2 minutes, until the outside is deeply browned all over, including the ends. Transfer it to a tray and brush the warm beef all over with English Mustard.

Cook the duxelles

Melt the Butter in the same pan over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots and garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened, then stir in the mushrooms, thyme leaves, a little more sea salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 10–15 minutes until all the moisture has cooked away and the mixture becomes a dark, concentrated paste that holds together in the pan.

Cool the filling

Spread the duxelles out on a plate or tray in a thin layer and let it cool completely so it won’t melt the ham or soften the pastry when you assemble the Wellington.

Wrap in ham

Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and overlap the Parma Ham slices into a rectangle a little longer than the beef. Spread the cooled duxelles evenly over the ham, leaving a small border, then place the mustard-coated beef on top. Use the plastic wrap to roll everything up tightly into a neat log, twisting the ends to firm it up.

Chill the log

Chill the wrapped beef log until it feels firm and holds its shape well.

Heat the oven

Heat the oven to 425° F and line a baking tray with parchment.

Whisk egg wash

Whisk the Egg Yolks with the Milk until smooth and evenly combined.

Wrap in pastry

Roll the Puff Pastry just enough to make a sheet large enough to fully enclose the beef. Unwrap the chilled beef log from the plastic, set it on the pastry, brush the edges with egg wash, then fold and seal the pastry snugly around it, trimming away any thick excess. Turn the parcel so the seam sits underneath and tuck in the ends for a tidy shape.

Chill again

Transfer the wrapped Wellington to the tray and chill until the pastry is cold and firm.

Bake until golden

Brush the pastry all over with more egg wash and lightly score the top with the back of a knife, being careful not to cut all the way through. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 400° F and bake for 20–25 minutes more, until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the center of the beef registers 120° F to 125° F for medium-rare.

Make the jus

While the Wellington bakes, heat a small saucepan over medium heat with a little olive oil. Add the remaining shallot and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened. Pour in the Red Wine and Madeira, then add the Beef Stock, the reserved thyme sprig, Bay Leaf, and 6 peppercorns. Simmer for 20–25 minutes until reduced to a glossy sauce, then strain if you like and whisk in the cold butter off the heat for shine.