Description
This classic Beef Wellington recipe features a tender center-cut beef tenderloin coated with a flavorful mushroom duxelles and wrapped in prosciutto and puff pastry. The beef is seared for a perfect crust, then baked to medium-rare perfection, delivering a tender, juicy, and impressively elegant meal ideal for special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Tenderloin
- 2–3 pounds center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed of silverskin and fat, tied with butcher’s twine at 1-inch intervals
- Kosher salt, about 1 teaspoon per pound
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
Duxelles
- 1 1/2 pounds mushrooms (mix of button, cremini, shiitake, portabello), 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, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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 beef tenderloin of silverskin and fat, then tie with butcher’s twine at 1-inch intervals. Season generously all over with kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon per pound) and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sear the beef. Heat a large skillet over high heat until smoking hot, then add olive oil. Sear the tenderloin on all sides for about 2 minutes per side, including the ends, to get an even, browned crust that seals in the juices. Remove from the pan and cut off the twine.
- Brush with mustard. While the meat is still warm, brush all sides with dijon mustard and set aside.
- Make the duxelles. Combine half the mushrooms, shallots, thyme leaves, and garlic in a food processor and pulse about 10-15 times until finely chopped. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and aromatics.
- Cook the mushrooms. In the skillet used for the beef, melt butter with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushroom mixture, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until most liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 12-15 minutes total. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Assemble the prosciutto wrap. On a double-layered piece of plastic wrap, arrange prosciutto slices in an overlapping square large enough to encase the tenderloin. Spread the cooled duxelles evenly over prosciutto, then place the tenderloin at one edge. Using the plastic wrap, roll tightly to form a log, tucking in the ends, then twist ends closed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to help it hold its shape.
- Prepare the puff pastry. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the thawed puff pastry into a rectangle large enough to wrap the prosciutto-covered tenderloin. If using two sheets, press edges together to seal.
- Wrap the beef. Remove plastic wrap from the tenderloin and place it on the puff pastry. Roll up the pastry around the beef, tucking the ends under. Brush the long edge of the pastry with beaten egg to seal the seam. Trim any excess pastry if needed.
- Bake the Wellington. Transfer the wrapped beef onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the top with remaining beaten egg. Cut diagonal slashes about every inch on the top of the pastry to vent steam. Sprinkle with flaky or coarse sea salt. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is golden and the internal temperature of the beef register 120-125°F (49-51°C) for medium-rare.
- Rest and serve. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into thick pieces. Garnish slices with finely minced chives and an additional sprinkle of flaky salt before serving.
Notes
- Use a digital meat thermometer to cook the beef to desired doneness accurately.
- The mushroom duxelles can be made with a blend of your favorite mushrooms for richer flavor.
- Chilling the wrapped tenderloin helps it hold shape and makes puff pastry wrapping easier.
- If you prefer a different doneness, adjust baking time accordingly but rest time is essential for juicy slices.
- Making sure the skillet is hot before searing prevents sticking and promotes a good crust.
