Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington is a delectable dish to make when you’re wanting to serve an impressive entree for a special occasion. Serve it with, or without a drizzle of gravy and enjoy every tender pastry wrapped morsel.

Easy Beef Wellington Recipe

Beef Wellington can be intimidating, I know. The classic preparation wraps the filet of beef in liver pate much like this recipe for chicken pate from Chef Jacques Pepin. Pate is rich and creamy and considered a bit of a delicacy. That said, my family doesn’t care for liver in any way, shape or form. Because of this, I use a mushroom Duxelle for layering with the beef tenderloin prior to wrapping it all up in puff pastry. Duxelle is a fancy name for a seasoned mixture of mushrooms, onion and shallots sautéed together and used as a filling. I’ve enjoyed it in omelets and in this case, as a filling for beef wellington in place of pate. How to make Beef Wellington with puff pastry: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

• Beef – Bring beef tenderloin to room temperature.
• Kitchen Twine – Tie tenderloin at 4-6 even intervals with kitchen twine to help keep its shape. Season on all sides with kosher salt and pepper.
• Sear Beef – Sear the beef in an oiled skillet on high for 2 minutes on all sides including ends. The ends won’t take as long. (If meat is thicker, 3 minutes per side)
• Cool – Place beef onto a platter and into the fridge to cool for 1 hour.
• Mushrooms – Add butter, mushrooms and onion to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste. Cook for 20 minutes over medium heat then add garlic, teriyaki and thyme. Cook until completely dry then set aside to cool.
• Puff Pastry – On a non-stick floured surface, roll puff pastry into a rectangle roughly 4 inches longer and 6 inches wider than the tenderloin. Brush entire surface with beaten egg wash.
• Assemble – Spread puff pastry from end to end with cooled mushrooms leaving a 1 inch border. Remove kitchen twine from tenderloin.
• Center tenderloin on mushrooms then fold pastry over ending seam side down. Tuck ends under or trim using extra pastry to decorate the top. Transfer to a large piece of plastic wrap, Wrap tightly and chill for 30 minutes.
• Egg Wash – Remove plastic wrap and place onto an oven rack fitted into a rimmed sheet pan. Brush on all sides with beaten egg wash.
• You can use any scraps to decorate the top of the wellington. Use a sharp knife to cut 3 or 4 slits on top.
• Bake – Bake – Bake in a preheated 400°F oven per the recipe until desired internal temperature is reached.
• Rest on pan for 10 minutes then use a sharp knife to slice and serve with gravy, if desired.

How to Make the BEST Beef Wellington Recipes

• Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Beef Wellington: Frozen puff pastry, beef tenderloin, kosher salt or sea salt, black pepper, olive oil, mushrooms, butter, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, one large egg beaten with water for the egg wash.
• Kitchen tools you’ll need: A large baking pan, 10 inch skillet, kitchen twine, measuring cups and spoons, small bowl and pastry brush for the egg wash, rolling pin, oven safe wire rack and a pastry mat or non stick surface for rolling.
• One of the biggest challenges when making Beef Wellington is avoiding a soggy puff pastry crust. One technique I’ve used to help counter this, is by baking the tenderloin on a baking sheet fitted with an oven safe rack so, if any juices escape they will drip away from the pastry. If you don’t have a rack you can of course, bake it directly on a parchment lined rimmed baking pan.
• Bake Beef Wellington for 40 minutes or until an internal temperature is 125-130°F for rare, 135-140°F for medium-rare and 140-145°F for medium. Bake it according to your personal preference.
• The purpose of seasoning and searing the meat is to add flavor and it helps lock in the juices for baking. I highly recommend doing it, don’t skip.
• When cooking the mushrooms, keep in mind that they must be cooked as dry as possible. This takes at least 20-25 minutes to achieve and can be done in advance to save time.
• I find that brushing the entire sheet of puff pastry with egg wash before spreading the mushrooms also helps. It forms a barrier from the juices released during the baking process.
• Some techniques for making classic beef wellington include a layer of thinly sliced ham or Italian Parma ham on the pastry first. Then, spread the cooked mushrooms on the ham. You can certainly do this, if you prefer, with no other adjustments.
• A meat thermometer is crucial for reaching the proper internal temperature for cooking the tenderloin to your personal taste.
• Store baked Beef Wellington chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Gently reheat in an air fryer or microwave.

Southern Side Dish Recipes to Serve with Beef Wellington

Beef tenderloin is pricey, but the side dishes to go along with it don’t have to be. You can serve this with any of the following:

• These Garlic Parmesan Roasted Vegetables add color and visual interest to the meal.
• Crispy Roasted Rosemary Potatoes.
• You could also add an elegant Spinach Salad or colorful Seven Layer Salad to the mix.
• Freshly baked Honey Yeast Rolls would be a nice touch.
• You could also serve a side of Double Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese.
• Green Bean Salad is a delicious option and it can be made in advance.
• Baked Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Dutch Oven
• Measuring Set
• Kitchen Utensils
• Knives and Chopping Board