Tender, elegant Beef Wellington might be the fanciest, most spectacular dinner ever – but this recipe will make you feel like a pro!
Once in a while, you need an impressive meal that will knock the socks off your guests, and Beef Wellington is IT! Featuring a juicy, seared beef tenderloin, mushrooms, thyme and prosciutto baked into a golden, flaky puff pastry crust, this super-fancy, special occasion meal is worth the extra effort! (But don’t worry – we’ve got you!)
The Best Beef Wellington Recipe – Don’t Let Its Reputation Intimidate You!
Our mission at Real Housemoms is to help you prepare simple, healthy, delicious dinners without breaking the bank or spending all day in the kitchen!
So, if I said we’re going to make a “seared chateaubriand surrounded by prosciutto and a herbed cremini duxelle, enveloped in a pâte feuilletée”…well, you might run away screaming!
But what if, instead, I said we’re going to walk you, step by step, through a SUPER impressive recipe of beef tenderloin surrounded by chopped mushrooms, onions, and thyme with dry-cured ham, and baked in a frozen puff pastry, well, THAT sounds more doable, doesn’t it?
Without a doubt, Beef Wellington is spectacular and a bit complicated. But don’t let it be intimidating – it’s all about breaking it into small, simple steps – and we’re here to help!
Other Recipes to Serve with Beef Wellington
- French Onion Scallped Potatoes are rich and creamy with a nice crunch on the top!
- Roasted Acorn Squash is the perfect, elegant side dish for special meals.
Ingredients
Meat: It may surprise you that a Beef Wellington uses both beef AND pork! The pork comes in the form of very thin slices of prosciutto, which will be part of the middle layer. The core of this dish is a center-cut beef tenderloin (sometimes called a chateaubriand). If you can, purchase an organic or locally raised cut of beef.
Duxelle: A duxelle is a paste made from cremini mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and dried thyme cooked in unsalted butter. This combination adds so much depth of flavor to the Beef Wellington!
Crust: To make this recipe, use frozen puff pastry (thawed) and a beaten egg to give the baked pastry a golden, shiny glaze.
Baking Extras: Olive oil, sea salt, and Dijon mustard sear and season the tenderloin to tasty perfection!
How to Make Beef Wellington
STEP ONE: In a large pan over high heat, sear the tenderloin on all sides in olive oil. Once the outside is browned, transfer the beef to a platter and sprinkle with salt. Brush the Dijon mustard over the roast, and then set the beef into the fridge to chill while making the duxelles.
STEP TWO: Toss the cremini mushrooms, shallots, garlic cloves, and dried thyme into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Depending on the size of your processor, you may need to do this in two batches. Then, put all of the duxelles mushroom mixture into a bowl.
STE THREE: Set aside. In the large pan, melt 1/2 stick of butter over medium heat. Once melted, add in the mushroom mixture and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the duxelles becomes thick like a paste. Place the mixture back into the bowl and refrigerate.
STEP FOUR: Place plastic wrap over a cutting board or work surface. On the plastic, place two rows of prosciutto side by side horizontally so they are just slightly overlapping. Spread the cooled mushroom duxelle over the prosciutto, then place the chilled tenderloin on top of the mushrooms in the center. Use the plastic wrap to wrap the prosciutto around the roast. Then, twist the ends to pull the plastic wrap tight like a candy wrapper. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
STEP FIVE: Flour your work surface and roll out the thawed puff pastry to no thinner than 1/4-inch thick. It should be wide enough and long enough to wrap around the beef tenderloin fully. Remove the beef from the fridge, unwrap it from the plastic, and place it on the puff pastry, about 1 inch from the bottom. Beat one egg in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to spread the egg wash around the edge of the entire pastry.
STEP SIX: Roll the beef tenderloin up so it’s nice and snug in the puff pastry. (Don’t wrap it too tightly!) Leave enough pastry on the ends to seal it closed, but cut off any excess. Wrap a clean pieceof plastic wrap around the entire thing and return to the fridge (yes, again!) to chill for 20 minutes.
STEP SEVEN: Preheat the oven to 425 F and prepare a baking pan by lining it with foil and lightly greasing the center. Remove the tenderloin from the fridge and unwrap the plastic. Place it on the foil and brush the top and sides with the beaten egg. Bake for 40-45 minutes (a meat thermometer inserted at the thickest part should read 120 degrees F).
STEP EIGHT: Remove the Beef Wellington from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. The roast will continue to cook slightly, and the juices will redistribute throughout the meat, giving a perfect finish. Once rested, slice the roast and serve warm with your favorite sides.
Tips for Success
- The beef should be at room temperature before you sear it in the skillet. Once it’s sealed in the prosciutto, keep the beef chilled, even if you must return it to the fridge or freezer between every step.
- Do not confuse puff pastry with phyllo dough when you purchase it. You want puff pastry sheets.
- Don’t wrap the puff pastry TOO tightly around the beef, but DO make sure it is sealed on the ends. Gordon Ramsey says to wrap up the beef SUPER tight. When I did this, the top of the pastry burst open. A snug fit while bake up perfectly. It’s the ends you want sealed tightly.
- Once it rests, the beef Wellington will be medium-rare (a meat thermometer should read 125-130 degrees F). For a medium cook, let the roast reach 135 degrees F in the oven, and then once rested, it should be 140-145 degrees F.
- Like most roasts, the end pieces of the Beef Wellington will be cooked through more than the center slices. So if someone prefers their steak a bit more done, you could give them one of the end pieces and still cook the roast to a perfect medium-rare in the center.
What Is Beef Wellington?
Rumor has it that traditional Beef Wellington originated in the late 19th Century after the Duke of Wellington led the victory at the 1815 Battle of Waterloo. However it originated, it became one of the most popular recipes in the world and was on the menu at virtually every upscale restaurant or special event until the late 1960s. Its complicated preparation and high price tag have taken it out of the mainstream recently. Still, this succulent beef tenderloin entree wrapped in layers of prosciutto and duxelles and baked inside a puff pastry is as spectacular and delicious as ever!
Why is Beef Wellington so Hard to Make?
Beef Wellington has many steps, each crucial to the end result. The beef must be seared, after which it must be kept very chill (to keep it from getting mushy). The mushrooms used to make the duxelles must be cooked completely until they release their juices so the Beef Wellington doesn’t end up soggy. The baking time and temperature must be just right, and the ingredients must be high quality. And while Beef Wellington ranks as the 4th hardest dish to make, if you follow the steps, the result is beautiful, highly impressive, and melt-in-your-mouth fabulous!
Other Elegant Recipes that Impress
- Cornish Game Hens
- Beef en Croute for Two
- Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Lamb Chops
- Pan-Seared Scallops with Creamy Pesto Sauce
- How to Cook Lobster Tail
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pound center-cut beef tenderloin cleaned of excess fat
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Duxelles
- 12 ounces crimini mushrooms cleaned
- 2 shallots peeled
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Coating
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 8 slices prosciutto (paper thin slices)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for dusting
- 14 ounces puff pastry thawed
- 1 large egg beaten
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, sear the beef roast on all sides until browned (about 2 minutes per side).
- Transfer the roast to a platter and sprinkle all over with salt. Then, brush the roast all over with Dijon mustard. Place the beef in the fridge while you prepare the duxelles mushroom mixture.
- Add the mushrooms, shallot, garlic, and dried thyme to the bowl of a food processor. Cover and pulse until everything is finely chopped and mixed. Transfer the duxelles to a bowl. (see note)
- Wipe out the skillet, place it over medium heat, and add the butter. Add the duxelles to the skillet. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. (It should be thick and have very little moisture once cooked.) Transfer the duxelles back to the bowl and place it into the fridge to cool.
- Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board or work surface. Then, place 2 slices of prosciutto side by side on the plastic wrap so the short ends barely overlap. Repeat this with the rest of the prosciutto to form a rectangle. Then, spread the duxelles in an even layer over the prosciutto, leaving a border around the edges.
- Place the beef tenderloin in the center of the mushroom layer. Tightly roll up prosciutto around the beef, using the plastic wrap to help, until the beef is encased. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap (like a candy wrapper) to make everything nice and snug. Transfer to the fridge and chill for 10 minutes.
- Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle no thinner than 1/4 inch thick. Be sure to double-check that the pastry is large enough to cover the beef completely at least once. (If there is any excess dough, you can trim it off later.)
- Unwrap the beef and place it 1 inch from the bottom (long) edge of the puff pastry. Brush the beaten egg in a 1-inch border around the edge of the pastry. Roll up the beef in the pastry so it's nice and snug (but not crazy tight, or the pastry will burst on top when cooking). Trim any excess dough from the ends and tightly seal the ends together, pinching the dough as needed. Wrap the covered beef in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease the area where the beef will be placed. Remove the plastic wrap from the beef wellington and place it on the foil. Brush the egg wash all over the top and sides of the puff pastry.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 120 degrees F internal temperature.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes. (The internal temp should rise to 125-130 degrees F for medium-rare.) Cut into slices and serve warm with your favorite sides.
Notes
- Another name for the cut of beef used for this recipe is chateaubriand (pronounced: sha-toe-bree-on) if you need to ask your butcher for the steak.
- As a guide for how much beef to buy, you should plan on 5 ounces per person, but you can do as much as 8 ounces per serving.
- You may need to work in 2 batches, depending on the size of your food processor, to make the duxelles. If this is the case, mix the batches together in the bowl once everything is chopped.
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