I love Beef Wellington, but for many years I felt it was too complex to make at home. I finally came across a recipe and decided to give it a try, and I was pleasantly surprised. Over the last few years, I’ve tried different recipes and made modifications to land on the recipe below. It is as good as any Wellington you’ll get in a restaurant and is far easier to make than expected. Try it. You’ll feel like a 5- Star Chef.
Note: Check the linked Red-Wine sauce that perfectly accompanies the Wellington.
Atmosphere
This recipe calls for a great red Zin or Cab as you do your prep. Put on some Frank Sinatra and feel like you’re entertaining the Rat Pack! This is a great dish for entertaining that will totally impress your dinner guests.
Easy Beef Wellington
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Sear filet on all sides: Season the fillet generously with salt and pepper. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large cast iron skillet if available. Sear the fillet on all sides until well browned. Thaw the Pepperidge Farms sheets. It will take three hours in the refrigerator, but I've done it on the counter without issue. That method will take about 30 minutes.
- Brush the filet with mustard: Remove it from the skillet and set it aside. Once cooled, brush the entire fillet with yellow mustard.
- Prepare the mushroom duxelles: Rinse the mushrooms, and roughly cut them. Put them into a food processor or blender and purée. them. Heat the cast iron skillet on medium heat, and add a small amount of oil, then add the mushroom purée and stir until the mushrooms release their moisture. When the mushroom puree is dry, remove it, and set them aside.
- Wrap filet in mushroom puree and prosciutto: Roll out a large plastic wrap. Place the prosciutto on the plastic wrap so that they overlap. Spread the mushroom mixture over the prosciutto. Place the beef filet in the middle of the prosciutto, and roll over the fillet, using the plastic wrap to get a tight wrap. The beef filet should be barrel-shaped, and twist each end of the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 25 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Roll out the puff pastry sheet and wrap the beef filet: On a lightly floured cutting board roll out the puff pastry sheet to a size that will fit the beef fillet. The Pepperidge Farms Sheets will contain two sheets, but you should only need one. Unwrap the fillet from the plastic wrap and carefully place it in the middle of the pastry dough. Brush the edges of the pastry sheet with the beaten eggs. Fold the pastry around the fillet, and cut off any excess at the ends. If the pastry is more than two layers thick will not cook all the way, so limit the overlap. Place on a dinner plate, seam side down, and brush the beaten egg yolks all over the top. Chill for 5-10 minutes.
- Brush with egg wash and score: Place the fillet on a baking pan, and brush the exposed surface again with the beaten eggs. Score the top of the pastry with a sharp knife, taking care not to go through the pastry sheet. Sprinkle the top with coarse salt.
- Bake in oven: Bake at 400°F for 25-35 minutes. The pastry should be nicely golden when done. Test the filet with an instant-read thermometer to ensure your roast is medium rare. Note: some ovens cook faster than others, so keep a close eye on the color of the crust. Pull out at 125-130°F for medium rare. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice in 1-inch thick sections.
