Ingredients
olive oil
1 teaspoon,
divided
Salt
1/2 teaspoon
Pepper
1/2 teaspoon, divided
Dijon style mustard
2 tablespoons
frozen puff pastry
2 sheets
prosciutto
12 slices
butter
1 tablespoon
flour
2 tablespoons
(for sprinkling)
Method
1. Searing the Beef
Remove your puff pastry sheets from the freezer and let them defrost as you begin. Heat your stove and add olive oil. Season the beef with salt and pepper, covering all sides. Using tongs, hold the beef and sear all sides for at least two minutes. Once the beef is completely seared, turn off the heat and allow the beef to cool. You can let it cool in the fridge to speed up the process, but it's not necessary.
Essential Pairings
Holiday meals are comforting, but after a while they can feel like a holiday rut. This year, why not challenge yourself to make a delicious yet unexpected dish that’s sure to wow your guests: Beef Wellington. Decadent, refined, and on many world-famous chefs’ last supper lists, this delectable classic combines flaky pastry and beef tenderloin. While the recipe can appear daunting, with some diligence and helpful instruction, you’ll come out looking like a pro, with a beautiful Beef Wellington to boot. Follow the recipe and watch the video to start a new holiday tradition.
Learn more ways to celebrate your holidays with beef at CalBeef.org
Make Your Holiday Meal a Showstopper
Preparing Beef Wellington can seem like a challenge, but anyone can make it! Professional food blogger Whitney Bond walks you through the process of preparing this classic recipe. Providing helpful hints, creative insight, and clear, concise instruction, this video will be an invaluable resource in making your showstopping holiday meal.
Making Beef Wellington
Legend has it Beef Wellington was named after the Duke of Wellington who defeated Napoléon at Waterloo. But in reality, most food historians acknowledge that Beef Wellington is probably a renaming of the classic French dish “Filet de Bœuf en Croûte” (filet of beef in pastry). As such, pairing Beef Wellington with anything but a dry red Burgundy would be scandalous. From the Burgundy region of France and made with Pinot Noir grapes, this vibrant wine is sophisticated enough with its earthy notes of sweet spice and leather to complement the star of the show without outshining it.
Red Burgundy
There’s a reason the classics never go out of style: they’re delicious. Beef Wellington may require more time and effort than, say, picking up a premade holiday dinner from the grocery store. But it’s the time and effort that make it special. And when done right, there’s little as mouth-watering as beef tenderloin slow cooked to perfection, wrapped in buttery, flaky pastry crust. This year, avoid the predictable holiday meal and prepare a show-stopping Beef Wellington for your friends and family.
While the beef chills in the fridge, make your duxelles. First, roughly chop your mushrooms, shallot, garlic, and thyme. Next, combine all in your food processor. Combine until the mixture is finely chopped, but not mush. This is duxelles. After that, heat your butter in a large skillet and add the duxelles mix cooking for 25 minutes. Ensuring that all liquid is gone, remove the duxelles and transfer it to the fridge.
3. Make Duxelles
Once the beef has cooled enough to handle, rub all sides of the beef with your Dijon mustard. Coat completely, then place back in the fridge.
2. Rub the Beef with Dijon Mustard
mushrooms
1 1/2 pounds
large shallot
1
egg
1 (for egg wash)
flaky sea salt
2 teaspoons
dried thyme
1 teaspoon
Once your duxelles mixture is cool, create a layer of prosciutto on top of plastic wrap, allowing the prosciutto to cover the surface. Next, spread your duxelles over the prosciutto. After that, place your beef at the edge of your prosciutto and duxelles layers. Using the plastic wrap, carefully roll the beef in the prosciutto and duxelles. Pull the plastic wrap away as you roll tightly, tucking the prosciutto as you roll. Once you finish wrapping, cover in the plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge.
4. Combining Prosciutto, Duxelles, and Beef
Sprinkle flour on your work space. Take your puff pastry sheets (which you've been defrosting since Step 1) and roll them out, creating one long sheet of puff pastry dough. Use flour on your rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking.
5. Preparing the Puff Pastry
Once you've rolled out the dough completely, place your beef at the bottom of your long sheet. Crack an egg in a small bowl and whisk it, creating an egg wash. Brush your egg wash along the top edge of the dough, then along the sides. Starting at the bottom, tightly roll your beef, completely coating it in dough. Tuck in the edges of the dough. Cover in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. Combing the Beef and Puff Pastry
Remove your Beef Wellington from the fridge and transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush on the remaining egg wash, covering the dough. Next, use a knife to score the dough, allowing the Beef Wellington to vent in the oven. After that, sprinkle on some flaky sea salt. Bake in 425°F oven 40-45 minutes or until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 135°F (or wait a little longer to 150°F for medium doneness, if desired). Transfer Beef Wellington to carving board. Let stand 10 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 10°F to reach 145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium.) Carve into slices and serve.
7. Finishing the Beef Wellington
Side dishes
Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts
Get the Recipe
Rosemary Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Get the Recipe
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Get the Recipe
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No holiday meal is complete without spectacular accompaniment. Level up your amazing Beef Wellington with some hearty and delicious side dishes. Find your way below to a no left-overs party!
center cut beef Tenderloin Roast, chain removed
two pounds
garlic
4 cloves
Watch the video
olive oil
1 teaspoon,
divided
Salt
1/2 teaspoon
Pepper
1/2 teaspoon, divided
Dijon style mustard
2 tablespoons
frozen puff pastry
2 sheets
prosciutto
12 slices
butter
1 tablespoon
flour
2 tablespoons
(for sprinkling)
center cut beef Tenderloin Roast, chain removed
two pounds
garlic
4 cloves
mushrooms
1 1/2 pounds
large shallot
1
egg
1 (for egg wash)
flaky sea salt
2 teaspoons
dried thyme
1 teaspoon