Beef Wellington with Puff (Print View)

Juicy beef fillet encased in mushroom duxelles, prosciutto, and crisp golden puff pastry.

# Ingredient List:

→ Beef

01 - 1 center-cut beef tenderloin (2 to 2.5 lb), trimmed
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Mushroom Duxelles

05 - 1 lb cremini or button mushrooms, finely chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 shallots, finely minced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
10 - Salt, to taste
11 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Assembly

12 - 8 to 10 thin slices prosciutto
13 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
14 - 1 lb puff pastry, thawed if frozen
15 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
16 - All-purpose flour, for dusting

→ Optional

17 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Season beef tenderloin generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let cool. Brush all over with Dijon mustard.
03 - Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until moisture evaporates and mixture is dry, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely.
04 - On a large sheet of plastic wrap, arrange prosciutto slices slightly overlapping to form a rectangle. Spread cooled mushroom duxelles evenly over prosciutto. Place beef on top, then roll tightly using the plastic wrap, forming a log. Twist ends to seal and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
05 - Lightly dust a surface with flour and roll out puff pastry into a rectangle large enough to encase the beef log. Remove beef from plastic wrap and place in center of pastry. Brush pastry edges with beaten egg, fold pastry over beef, sealing seams and ends. Place seam-side down on parchment-lined baking sheet.
06 - Brush the pastry with the remaining beaten egg. Optionally, create decorative shapes from pastry scraps and brush them with egg wash before placing atop pastry.
07 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the beef reads 120°F to 125°F for medium-rare.
08 - Allow Wellington to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks impossibly fancy but breaks down into manageable steps that build on each other.
  • That moment when you slice into it and the layers reveal themselves feels like opening a beautiful gift.
  • People remember when you cook this for them, and that matters.
02 -
  • The beef must cool completely before wrapping, or you'll cook it unevenly and the pastry will become soggy.
  • Undercook the beef slightly before assembly because it continues cooking in the oven. You can always add time, but you cannot undo overdone tenderloin.
  • If your duxelles is wet, it will make the pastry weep and soggy. Cook it longer than you think necessary until it's almost dry.
03 -
  • Use a long serrated knife for slicing, and wipe it clean between cuts so you can see the beautiful layers you've built.
  • If your pastry is browning too quickly but the beef isn't done, tent it loosely with foil and lower the oven temperature slightly.

Go Back