According to Wiki, while historians generally believe that the dish is named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, the precise origin of the name is unclear and no definite connection between the dish and the duke has been found.
Be that as it may, after watching 22 seasons (2005 to 2024) of Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen and witnessing an inordinate number of contestants struggle to cook his signature Beef Wellington to perfection, I decided to tackle this seemingly formidable dish for this New Year's Eve's dinner. Prior to taking the plunge, I watched Gordon Ramsay make his version online via Master Class. I compared his recipe to others, including Tyler Florence's (The Ultimate Beef Wellington, Food Network) and decided to do an amalgamation of both. Here are the takeaways from my first foray into the making of this iconic British dish:
1. Making Beef Wellington is not as intimidating as many may think it to be.
2. The ingredients are few and simple; the key is timing the steps (some parts can be made ahead).
3. Needless to say (Captain Obvious), using the best quality beef tenderloin you can afford pays off.
4. Although both Gordon, Tyler and others use prosciutto slices to prevent the mushroom duxelles and beef from rendering the puff pastry into a soggy mess, I found the end result to be too salty. A preferable alternative, IMO, is to layer thin ham slices over phyllo dough between the puff pastry and mushroom duxelles instead.
5. Gordon pairs his with a red wine sauce, but gravy and/or horseradish cream sauce also work well.
6. The Wellington will be perfectly done at 120 to 125F; it is important to let it rest 10-15 minutes out of the oven before slicing and serving.
My verdict: Any home cook can make this. Don't let the instructions intimidate. Make the mushroom duxelles ahead of time and the rest is easy peasy - try it, you'll love it, and also impress your family and friends with this masterpiece!
INGREDIENTS:
MUSHROOM DUXELLES:
2 pints (1 lb) white button mushrooms, stemmed & halved or sliced
2 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
BEEF:
3 lbs. center cut beef tenderloin (filet mignon)
Olive oil
Kosher salt & pepper
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
4 oz thin sliced ham, patted dry with paper towels
1 lb. puff pastry (defrosted in the refrigerator) - you will only need 2-3 sheets
1 lb. phyllo dough (defrosted in the refrigerator)
2 eggs, beaten (egg wash)
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
SUGGESTED SIDES:
Pommes Duchesse
Pommes Anna
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Sauteed Asparagus
Arugula Salad
DIRECTIONS:
MUSHROOM DUXELLES (can be made ahead-refrigerate overnight before using):
1. Place the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme into a blender; pulse until finely chopped but not mushy (do in two batches if needed).
2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add the mushroom mix and saute 8-10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
BEEF:
1. Tie the beef tenderloin with twine into 3 or 4 places to hold it together. Slather olive oil over the beef and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet with enough olive oil to coat the bottom over high heat; sear the tenderloin, about 1 minute each side (about 3-4 sides, depending on how much area you can cover with each searing).
3. Remove the seared beef to a chopping board and let cool for 10-15 minutes; cut off the twine; rub the Dijon mustard all over the tenderloin.
4. In the meantime, place a large sheet of plastic wrap (12" x 24") over a chopping board or countertop (large enough to roll the beef in). Place 2-3 sheets of phyllo dough over the plastic wrap. Shingle 4 oz. of the ham slices (first patted dry on both sides with paper towels) over the phyllo, then spread the cooled duxelles mushrooms evenly over the top.
5. Place the seared beef in the middle of the duxelles wrap and roll tightly into a log; seal the ends of the roll by twisting. Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes or overnight to set.
6. Preheat the oven to 425F.
7. Unfold the puff pastry dough onto a lightly floured surface; roll to 1/4" thickness. If there are 2 sheets, overlap them slightly before rolling out into one large sheet.
8. Take the beef roll out from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Place on the center of the puff pastry and fold over top and sides, trimming any excess and sealing with your fingers.
9. Place the roll, seam side down, onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the pastry with the egg wash, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and cut shallow decorative slits on top with a sharp paring knife (do not cut all the way through the pastry).
10. Bake 40-45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the internal temperature of the beef is 120 to 125F. Remove the beef from the oven and let rest at least 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 135 to 140F.
11. Cut the Beef Wellington into 1" thick slices and serve with your fav sauce. Great sides are mashed or roasted potatoes, roasted asparagus or other greens.
Mushroom Duxelles
Tenderloin from Snake River Farms
Tie the tenderloin with twine.
Sear the tenderloin over high heat on all sides (1 minute per side)
Cut off the twine.
Slather Dijon mustard all over the seared tenderloin
Place tenderloin over the duxelles and roll tightly.
Refrigerate 30-40 minutes to set.
Roll out pastry dough to 1/4" thickness (combine two sheets if needed)
Roll the beef into the puff pastry; brush the puff pastry with egg wash
Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It looks so good. A quick tip: if you want your beef cooked perfectly, consider using a Bluetooth meat thermometer.
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