This juicy flavorful savory flakey dish is one of my all-time favorites! The first time I made it I was terrified. I am not a great cook and I am intimidated by complex steps and the challenge of timing all the elements to make a meal (basically, I burn things). But, this one really is not that difficult. However, there are many steps and it does take time – but I promise you it is worth it! And a lot of it can be done in advance so it’s ideal for hosting a dinner party. .
A few tips before you start:
Call your butcher a few days in advance letting them know you’d like a fresh 2lb cut of beef filet (tenderloin) to make a Beef Wellington (i.e. you want a 2lb intact cylinder of beef tenderloin Often if you just show up to buy one they will not have it or they are already cut into separate steaks.
A fresh cut will also be easier for you to mould as well before you prepare the Wellington.
I also recommend preparing the red wine sauce before you start on the Beef Wellington. It takes a while to reduce (like, more than 30 mins), and it can also be store overnight and reheated in a saucepan the next day – it will taste exactly the same as if it was freshly made.
This recipe will serve 6 people.
Ingredients for Beef Wellington:
- 2lb beef tenderloin
- 500g puff pastry (store bought is perfect)
- 500g of cremini mushroom
- 1 sprig thyme, remove from stem so you have only leaves
- 8 slices of quality prosciutto
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 tbsp of horseradish mustard
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Egg-Wash: 2 egg yolks, beaten with 1 tbsp water and a pinch of salt
Ingredients for Red Wine Sauce:
- 250g shallots, diced
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- sprig of rosemary
- 5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 400ml red wine
- 400ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp. of butter
Method for Making the Red Wine & Shallot Sauce:
- Sauté 250g diced shallots in a medium saucepan with 4 tbsp olive oil over a high heat for about 3 mins until lightly browned, stirring often (or they will burn – gross!)
- Season with ground black pepper and add 1 lightly crushed garlic clove and a sprig of rosemary.
- Continue on high heat for a further 3 mins. Makes sure you continue stirring to prevent any burning.
- Pour in 5 tbsp balsamic vinegar and cook until evaporated away to a syrup, then pour in 400ml red wine and cook until liquid is reduced by 2/3.
- Pour in 400ml of the beef stock and bring to the boil.
- Turn down heat and allow the sauce to simmer until reduced by 2/3 (You want it to be around 250ml when reduction is done).
- Remove the garlic and rosemary.
- Add a little salt to taste and finally whisk in 1 tbsp of butter to thicken.
Method for Beef Wellington
Serves 6
- If you have time – wrap the 2lb beef filet in a double or triple layer of cellophane, tightly, to set its shape, then chill overnight. This will make the Wellington look and cook more evenly. If you don’t have time, you can skip this step. Most butchers cut tenderloin evenly.
- Remove the cellophane, and then in a hot frying pan quickly sear the beef tenderloin in olive oil for 30-60 seconds just to brown the tenderloin all over but keeping it rare in the middle. Remove from the pan and leave to cool on a board or plate.
- Get your Horseradish mustard and brush it ll over the warm tenderloin – the flavors will seep into the beef while it cools.
- Finely chop the de-stemmed mushrooms and add to a hot frying pan with olive oil (use a separate or cleaned fry pan from the one you seared the beef in). Add in the thyme leaves and some seasoning of salt and pepper. When the mushrooms begin to release juices, continue to cook over a high heat for about 10-15 minutes until all the excess moisture has evaporated and you are left with a mushroom paste (this is called a “duxelle”). You want to be sure the moisture is all evaporated – if you don’t your Wellington will come out soggy. Get it as dry and pasty as possible. Remove the duxelle from the pan and leave to cool.
- Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle large enough to envelop the beef tenderloin. Once rolled, I like to place it back on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator. Puff pastry melts fast and you want this as cold as possible when you start rolling the tenderloin. So placing back in the fridge is a good idea!
- Lay a large sheet (or sheets) of cellophane on a work surface and place 8 slices of prosciutto overlapping them slightly so there’s on holes (4 slices overlapping 4 slices – total of 8), to create a rectangle. Spread the duxelle evenly over the prosciutto.
- Season the beef tenderloin with salt and pepper and then place it on top of the mushroom-covered prosciutto. Using the cellophane, roll the prosciutto over the beef, then roll and pinch the ends of the cellophane so the wrapped tenderloin is even in thickness. Place the wrapped tenderloin in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes (helps it set its shape).
- Bring the rolled puff pastry out of the fridge. Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Remove the cling film from the beef, and then wrap the pastry around the prosciutto-wrapped-tenderloin. Trim the pastry (if needed) and brush all over with the egg wash. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes or preferably overnight. You’re almost done! ☺
- Before serving, make or re-heat the red wine shallot sauce.
- When you are ready to bake the beef wellington, score the pastry lightly with the back of a knife and brush with the egg wash again, then bake at 400°F in oven (200°C/Gas) and if you have a convection fan – highly recommend using it here. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked. This will produce medium and medium rare beef – if you want it more well done- leave in another 5-10 mins. If the pastry starts to go too brown, lower the heat in the oven. (I like to broil for less than 1 min to get the pastry nice and crispy.) Rest for 10 minutes before carving.
- Serve the beef wellingtons sliced, with the red wine sauce on top or as an accompaniment in a gravy boat.
Usually I’ll make asparagus or glazed carrots with some mashed cauliflower ( it’s lighter) or mashed potatoes if you want something heartier. Enjoy!
