Equipment
Ingredients
Beef Centerpiece
- 1000 g center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin
- 10 g kosher salt
- 5 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 15 ml olive oil
- 30 g english mustard
Mushroom Duxelles
- 750 g chestnut mushrooms, cleaned
- 2 shallot, peeled
- 2 garlic, peeled
- 5 g fresh thyme leaves
- 30 g unsalted butter
Assembly
- 150 g prosciutto, thinly sliced
- 500 g puff pastry, thawed if frozen, kept cold
- 2 egg yolks, beaten
- 15 ml whole milk
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Pat the beef tenderloin completely dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until smoking. Sear the beef tenderloin on all sides, including the ends, until well browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. The goal is flavor and color, not to cook the center. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
While the beef is still warm, brush it evenly with the English mustard. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely, and refrigerate to cool completely.
Place the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until very finely chopped, resembling a coarse paste.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushroom mixture and fresh thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release their liquid and all the moisture completely evaporates. The mixture must be extremely dry to prevent a soggy pastry. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Overlap two sheets of plastic wrap on a work surface. Shingle the prosciutto slices on the plastic wrap into a rectangle large enough to enclose the beef. Spread the cooled mushroom duxelles evenly over the prosciutto.
Place the chilled beef at the bottom edge of the prosciutto rectangle. Using the plastic wrap to assist, tightly roll the beef in the prosciutto and duxelles, forming a neat, tight log. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to secure. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set the shape.
Mix the egg yolks and milk to create an egg wash. Roll the puff pastry out onto a lightly floured surface to a rectangle large enough to encase the beef. Unwrap the beef log and place it in the center of the pastry. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash.
Fold the pastry over the beef, overlapping the edges, and press gently to seal. Trim any thick excess pastry. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. This ensures the butter in the pastry stays cold.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Unwrap the Wellington, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet seam-side down. Brush entirely with egg wash and lightly score the top diagonally without cutting through the pastry. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the internal temperature of the beef reaches 52°C (125°F) for medium-rare.
Remove from the oven and let rest on a cutting board for at least 15 minutes before carving into thick slices. This allows the juices to redistribute so they do not soak the bottom crust.
Chef's Notes
- Moisture is the ultimate enemy of a perfect Beef Wellington. Take the time to cook your mushrooms until they are completely dry, and always pat your meat dry before the initial sear.
- Do not skip the chilling steps. Alternating between working the ingredients and chilling them allows the tight cylinder shape to hold, preventing the layers from sliding apart in the oven.
- Applying the mustard while the meat is still warm from the sear allows the pores of the beef to absorb the sharp flavor, resulting in a deeper, more integrated seasoning.
- For advanced moisture control, some chefs add a layer of very thin herb crepes between the prosciutto and the pastry. This acts as a secondary barrier to ensure the puff pastry stays flawlessly crisp.
- When carving, use a long, sharp serrated knife and let the weight of the blade do the cutting with long strokes. Pressing down will crush the delicate, flaky pastry.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store uncut in an airtight container.
Reheating: Reheat thick slices in a 180C/350F oven for 10-15 minutes. Never microwave, as the pastry will become soggy.
