Description
Classic Beef Wellington recipe featuring a perfectly seared beef tenderloin wrapped in a savory mushroom duxelles and prosciutto, all encased in golden puff pastry. This elegant dish is ideal for special occasions and impressive dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Tenderloin
- 2-3 pounds center-cut beef tenderloin trimmed of silverskin and fat, then tied with butcher’s twine at 1-inch intervals
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
Duxelles
- 1 1/2 pounds mushrooms (button, cremini, shiitake, portabello, or a mix cleaned and roughly chopped)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium shallots roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (about 6 sprigs)
- 4 cloves garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Assembly
- 12 thin slices prosciutto (about ¼ pound)
- Flour for rolling out puff pastry
- 14 ounces frozen or homemade puff pastry thawed
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky or coarse sea salt such as Maldon or fleur de sel
- 1 bunch finely minced chives
Instructions
- Prepare the tenderloin. Trim the silverskin and fat from the beef tenderloin if needed, then tie it with butcher’s twine at 1-inch intervals. Season generously with kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon per pound) and freshly ground black pepper all over. Heat a large skillet over high heat until smoking hot, then add olive oil. Sear the tenderloin on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, to develop a nice brown crust without moving the meat prematurely. Remove from the pan, cut off the twine, and brush all sides with dijon mustard while still warm. Set aside.
- Make the Duxelles. Place half of the mushrooms, shallots, thyme leaves, and garlic in a food processor, pulsing 10-15 times until finely chopped. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and herbs. In the same skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushroom mixture, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until most liquid has evaporated, about 8-10 minutes. Continue cooking until mushrooms brown, about 4-5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Assemble the Wellington. Lay out prosciutto slices on a large double layer of plastic wrap, overlapping slightly to form a square large enough to wrap the tenderloin. Spread the cooled duxelles evenly over the prosciutto. Place the tenderloin on one end and use the plastic wrap to roll it tightly into a log, tucking in prosciutto edges. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the shape.
- Prepare the puff pastry. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and roll out the thawed puff pastry into a rectangle large enough to enclose the rolled tenderloin. Remove the plastic wrap from the tenderloin and place it on the pastry. Roll the pastry around the tenderloin, tucking ends under and sealing the seam with beaten egg. Trim excess pastry if needed.
- Bake the Beef Wellington. Transfer the wrapped beef to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the top with remaining beaten egg. Cut diagonal slashes every inch or so along the pastry surface to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with flaky or coarse sea salt. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the internal temperature of the tenderloin reaches 120-125°F (49-51°C) for medium-rare doneness.
- Rest and serve. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into thick pieces. Garnish with fresh minced chives and an additional sprinkling of flaky or coarse salt. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For an accurate internal temperature, use a digital meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.
- Letting the assembled Wellington chill in the fridge helps the shape hold together and makes rolling easier.
- Choose a mixture of mushrooms for richer flavor and texture in the duxelles.
- If you don’t have prosciutto, thinly sliced ham can be a substitute, though prosciutto is preferred for authenticity.
- Allow the Wellington to rest before slicing to ensure juices redistribute and the pastry stays crisp.
- Make sure to seal the pastry well to prevent juices from leaking during baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 700 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
