Beef Wellington

The perfect Beef Wellington for your holiday dinners! It starts with a beef tenderloin fillet that’s seared, brushed with English mustard, a layer of mushroom duxelles, prosciutto and then wrapped in a puff pastry and baked to perfection.

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Are you looking for an amazing gourmet dinner to celebrate the holidays or a special occasion? Then you should learn how to make beef wellington! This is a classic English dish that is so impressive looking and is absolutely delicious. You will wow everyone when you serve it!

It might look intimidating, but it’s actually not complicated to make. Yes, there are multiple steps, but you can assemble everything a day in advance and then pop it in the oven the next day. Serve it with creamy mashed potatoes, gravy, and homemade dinner rolls for a meal everyone will ooh and aah over. This beef wellington recipe is unforgettable.

What is Beef Wellington?

Beef wellington is a beautiful main dish made with beef tenderloin, mushrooms, prosciutto (or ham) and flaky puff pastry. All of it is rolled up together so when you slice it, you get an impressive main dish!

There are several variations of this classic dish. Sometimes it’s made with pâté de foie gras, parma ham or prosciutto, and mushroom duxelles.

I’m no Gordon Ramsay, so I make an easy beef wellington with store-bought pastry, sliced prosciutto, and mushrooms. It’s definitely a kitchen project, but the results are worth it! It’s a stunning way to prepare tenderloin for a special occasion.

Why You’ll Love Beef Wellington

• Beef wellington is a classic that will never go out of style. This is quite an impressive dish to learn how to make!
• There are literal layers of flavor in this delicious dish. It is definitely not a one-dimensional flavor profile!
• The beef is tender, juicy and flavorful. Skip out on the recipes that always leave you with tough and flavorless beef and make this instead!

Ingredients for Beef Wellington

• Center cut beef tenderloin – This is key to making the best beef wellington because it’s a super tender cut of beef and the cylindrical shape is important!
• English mustard – English mustard has a little bit of a spicy kick and gives this beef wellington the best flavor. If you can’t find this, dijon mustard is a good substitute.
• Puff pastry – Wrap up the tenderloin in fluffy puff pastry for the easy button on traditional beef wellington.
• Prosciutto – This super thin deli meat will add salt and flavor to beef wellington.
• Whisked egg – Egg wash will help seal the pastry dough around the tenderloin.
• Sea salt – Bring out the flavors of this dish with a bit of sea salt!
• Chopped parsley – The perfect, simple garnish that adds a wonderful finishing touch.
• Olive oil – You’ll need extra-virgin olive oil for the mushroom mixture.
• Fresh thyme – This will add a nice herby flavor to the mushroom duxelles.
• Diced portobello mushrooms – Cremini mushrooms also work well with this recipe.
• Black pepper – Black pepper will add some warmth and depth of flavor to the mushroom mixture.
• Minced garlic – Any recipe that uses fresh mined garlic is a winner in my book.

How to Make Beef Wellington

Follow these step by step instructions to make this classic dish. There are quite a few steps, but it is really simple! Here’s how to make it:

Prepare the Beef Tenderloin

Take the beef out of the refrigerator ahead of time and let it come to room temperature. Wrap it with the twine, so that it holds its shape while cooking. Season it on all sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a cast iron pan or skillet over medium heat and once hot, add the oil. Place the meat in the pan and sear it on all sides.

Once browned, remove from the pan to a cutting board and then remove the twine.

While the tenderloin is hot, coat it in the mustard and then set it aside while preparing the mushrooms.

Make the Mushroom Duxelles

Place all of the ingredients for the mushrooms in a food processor and then blend the mixture until pureed and well combined.

Since mushrooms have moisture, you will need to cook the duxelles to remove it. If you don’t cook it first, the liquid will make the puff pastry soggy when you bake the beef wellington.

Place the mushroom duxelles in the skillet and cook it over medium-high heat for five minutes. While it cooks, the mushrooms will release their moisture, and it will evaporate.

Assemble beef wellington

Once you have your mushrooms cooked, you can assemble the beef wellington.

Start by laying out a large piece of plastic wrap and then lay the sliced prosciutto on the plastic wrap. You want them to be the approximate length of the beef piece, so lay them in a single layer slightly overlapping.

Spread the mushroom mixture in an even layer on the prosciutto. Place the seared beef, so it’s centered on top of the duxelles.

To wrap the beef, tightly roll the prosciutto over the beef by lifting the plastic wrap. Tuck the prosciutto under the beef as you roll.

Chill and Wrap

Twist the ends of the wrap tightly so that everything stays tightly wrapped. Then chill the roll in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry sheets and place them side by side on a lightly floured surface. Pinch the edges together, so you have one large sheet to work with.

Take the sheet and place it on a large piece of plastic wrap. It should be at least six inches longer than the pastry. This will make it easy to roll up with the beef.

Take the beef roll out of the fridge and remove the plastic wrap, then place it in the center of the pastry.

Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the edges of the puff pastry with egg wash. Roll the pastry tightly over the beef and trim off any excess, then fold the ends so they cover the beef and seal them with more egg wash.

Wrap the roll with plastic wrap and twist the ends tightly. Chill it for five minutes.

Bake the Beef Wellington

Remove the plastic wrap and place the roll on a baking sheet.

Brush the outside of the pastry with egg wash and then use a knife to score the top. Season the dough with salt and pepper.

Place the baking sheet on the center rack in the oven. Bake the beef wellington for 45 minutes at 425°F.

Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top for garnish.

How do you know when beef wellington is done?

The best way to check is with a meat thermometer. Beef wellington is best when the pastry is golden brown and they meat is cooked to rare or medium-rare. Once the internal temperature reaches 110°f (for rare) to 120°F (medium-rare) take it out of the oven.

While it rests it will continue to cook and the juices will absorb back into the meat so they don’t run all over your board when you slice it.

How to Store Beef Wellington

It is best to store beef wellington in slices so that it is easier to reheat and thaw more quickly if you freeze it. Allow the dish to cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap.

FRIDGE: Store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days.

FREEZER: I recommend wrapping the slices individually, or placing slices into separate plastic zip top bags. Freeze for 2-3 months, allow to thaw before rehating.

For best results, reheat slices in the oven at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through. Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature before serving.

Why is beef wellington soggy?

If you end up with a soggy beef wellington, then you likely didn’t cook out all of the moisture from the mushrooms mixture. It’s important not to rush that step! If there is still moisture in the mushrooms, it will leak out while the beef bakes making the pastry soggy.

Why is my puff pastry dough difficult to use?

Make sure your puff pastry is thawed before you roll it out. This will keep it from breaking. Follow the instruction for thawing on the package – you usually need to leave it in the refrigerator.

Can i Prep beef wellington ahead of time?

You can assemble the beef wellington a day in advance! Do everything, but wait to bake it until the next day. This will make things a lot easier.

What to Serve with Beef Wellington

Many of your favorite potato side dishes would pair wonderfully with beef wellington. I love to serve it alongside something like funeral potatoes, twice baked potatoes, or simply some creamy mashed potatoes.

Some tasty veggies sides like bacon green beans or roasted broccoli would be tasty too. I also love to serve some fluffy dinner rolls with this amazing dish too.

This one is worth the effort, I promise! It’s such an impressive dish and one your family will be talking about long after the holidays end. You have to try it!

More Holiday Main Dish Ideas!

• My Honey Baked Ham is an easy recipe that is perfect for any holiday!
• Learn how to make the best Roast Turkey that is juicy on the inside with crispy golden skin! This is a simple recipe that anyone can make!
• Pork loin is a delicious choice for a special dinner and my Crock Pot Cranberry Pork Loin is easy to make and delicious. The color and flavors are perfect for the holidays!
• Shepherds Pie is another classic that is wonderful to serve around the holiday season.

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

 

4.88 from 8 votes

Beef Wellington

This holiday dinner starts with a beef tenderloin fillet that's seared, brushed with English mustard, a layer of mushroom duxelles, prosciutto and then wrapped in a puff pastry and baked to perfection.

Prep:20 minutes mins

Cook:45 minutes mins

Refrigeration Time:30 minutes mins

Total:1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

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Ingredients

Mushroom Duxelles

• ▢ 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• ▢ 2 cups portobello mushrooms diced
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced

Beef Wellington

• ▢ 2.5-3 pounds center cut beef tenderloin
• ▢ ¼ cup English mustard
• ▢ 2 puff pastry sheets
• ▢ ½ pound prosciutto
• ▢ 1 egg whisked
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pepper
• ▢ Fresh parsley garnish

Instructions

• Let beef come to room temp and wrap with twine to hold its shape while cooking.
• Season beef with a pinch of salt and pepper on all sides.
• Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a hot pan, (preferably cast iron) then add the beef and sear all sides. This should take about 1 minute. Remove from heat and place on a plate or cutting board and remove twine.
• While the beef is still hot, brush generously with English Mustard. TIP: this cut of meat has very little fat, so it is extremely tender but slightly less flavorful because of this. Do not be afraid to go overboard with the english mustard as it will not overpower the beef at all and will provide a delicious flavor as it is cooked into the meat. We used every bit of ¼ cup.
• Add olive oil, sea salt, thyme, mushrooms, pepper, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until pureed.
• Add mushroom mixture to a hot pan on stovetop over medium high heat. Saute for 5 minutes to remove moisture from the mushrooms. (The point of this is to cook most/all of the moisture out of the mushrooms- as they cook they release moisture which would make the puff pastry soggy if not done beforehand)
• Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap. In the center, lay out prosciutto the approximate length of your full length of the beef tenderloin, overlapping each piece. (The amount of prosciutto will vary based on the size/cut, for us it took 7 pieces)
• Spoon mushroom duxelles onto prosciutto and spread to evenly cover. Place beef on top in the center and tightly roll the prosciutto over the beef using the plastic wrap. Tuck prosciutto under as you roll. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap tightly, this will help hold everything together tight. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425*
• Roll out puff pastry sheets side by side on a lightly floured surface. Pinch the seams to connect the two sheets. Place pastry atop a new sheet of plastic wrap. (as for the size of the plastic wrap, you will want about 6” past the length of the puff pastry on the ends you will be rolling)
• Remove beef from the fridge and remove plastic wrap. Place into the center of the puff pastry. Generously brush all sides with egg wash. Roll puff pastry tightly over the beef and trim excess pieces. Fold the sides and seal with egg wash. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap, twisting the edges to tighten the wrap and place in the fridge for 5 minutes.
• Remove from the fridge and discard plastic wrap. Brush the entire pastry with egg wash. Use a knife to score the top of the pastry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place into the center rack of the oven. Bake in preheated oven at 425 degrees F for 45 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes after cooking before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Tips

• It might seem like a lot of mustard for this recipe, but it’s the perfect amount. Tenderloin doesn’t have a strong flavor, so the mustard really adds a lot. We use every drop of the ¼ cup, so don’t be afraid to slather it on.
• Make sure your puff pastry is thawed before you roll it out. This will keep it from breaking. Follow the instruction for thawing on the package – you usually need to leave it in the refrigerator.
• You want to cook out all of the mushrooms’ moisture, so don’t rush that step. If there is still moisture in them, it will leak out while the beef bakes making the pastry soggy.
• The wrapping method is essential for this recipe. Tightly wrapping the beef will ensure it is nice and compact, so it cooks evenly.
• Don’t skip the chilling steps! The first chill time helps set the mushrooms duxelles and prosciutto, so everything sticks together before you add the pastry. The second chill time firms up the pastry before you bake it.
• You can assemble the beef wellington a day in advance! Do everything, but wait to bake it until the next day. This will make things a lot easier.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 607kcal (30%), Carbohydrates: 20g (7%), Protein: 24g (48%), Fat: 48g (74%), Saturated Fat: 16g (100%), Cholesterol: 92mg (31%), Sodium: 726mg (32%), Potassium: 414mg (12%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 35IU (1%), Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 18mg (2%), Iron: 4mg (22%)

© Julie's Eats & Treats ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.