Best Beef Wellington Recipe

Beef Wellington is a classic holiday dish known for its delightful appearance and rich taste. This iconic dish features tender beef tenderloin, savory duxelle, crispy puff pastry, and richly flavored sauce. At first glance, making Beef Wellington seems super difficult. However, it is easier than you think. Following this best beef Wellington recipe with useful advice from the chef, you will make this dish easily and quickly.

Beef Wellington is the epitome of elegance and indulgence, a timeless classic that never fails to impress. While it may seem daunting at first, with the right guidance and a bit of patience, you can master this culinary masterpiece and treat yourself to a truly unforgettable dining experience. Follow this recipe closely, and soon you'll be delighting your friends and family with your own stunning rendition of Beef Wellington!

Vadim Rachok

Chef

What Is A Beef Wellington?

Beef Wellington is a holiday dish made from beef tenderloin: meat baked in puff pastry. The tenderloin is usually baked as a single, large piece of meat. Sometimes the dish is prepared in portioned pieces in the form of filet mignon patties. To add flavor and juiciness, the dish is seasoned with spices, meat, mushroom, or vegetable pate. Served with sauce.

The origin of the name has nothing to do with the Duke of Wellington. By the time the Duke of Wellington became famous at Waterloo, meat baked in dough was already a staple of English cuisine. French cuisine also had a recipe for filet de bœuf en croûte. Wellington’s name was likely given to a familiar dish on the wave of patriotism.

There is also a version that the dish was invented in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. However, in cookbooks of the XIX century the meat “Wellington” is not mentioned. The Los Angeles Times mentioned “fillet of beef a la Wellington” in 1903, but the dish as such seems to have been described for the first time in 1939: The New York Food Guide describes Wellington beef tenderloin that is cooked, cooled, and then baked in a crispy pie crust.

Beef Wellington Ingredients

• Flour: Used to dust the work surface during the rolling out of the puff pastry dough to prevent sticking.
• Chicken eggs (yolks): Brush egg yolks over the dough before baking to give it a shiny finish.
• Unleavened Puff Pastry: The main component that wraps around the Beef Wellington and provides a crispy and flaky outer layer.
• Jamon: Jamón adds a layer of savory, salty flavor. It contributes to the overall richness and complexity of the dish’s flavors and perfectly complements the other ingredients.

Roast Beef:

• Beef tenderloin: The star of the dish that has a melt-in-your-mouth texture after cooking.
• Medium Hot Mustard: Adds a tangy flavor to the dish and helps to bring out the taste of the beef.
• Thyme and Rosemary: Fresh herbs that add aromatic flavor to the beef.
• Sunflower Oil: Used to fry the beef tenderloin until it develops a golden brown crust.
• Garlic: Garlic adds a depth of flavor to the beef.

Mushroom Duxelles:

• Onion: Finely chopped and sautéed with the mushrooms to add sweetness and depth of flavor to the beef.
• Mushrooms: Mushrooms add an earthy flavor to the dish.
• Garlic: Garlic adds extra flavor to the mushrooms.
• Thyme and Rosemary: Fresh herbs that enhance the savory flavor of the mushrooms.

Sauce:

• Red wine: Use red wine to deglaze the pan and add a depth of flavor to the sauce.
• Beef Broth: Adds richness and depth of flavor to the sauce.
• Butter: Adds body and richness to the sauce and helps to thicken the sauce.

How to Make Beef Wellington

1. First, dice the onion and mushrooms and crush the garlic.
2. Heat a frying pan, add sunflower oil, and sauté onion for 5 minutes until golden brown. Add mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. 
3. Cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes until the mushrooms lose all their moisture, then remove the garlic and rosemary. Put them in a container to cool completely.
4. Then, heat a frying pan, add oil, add meat, garlic, and rosemary, and fry on all sides at high temperature (1.5-2 minutes per side). 
5. Place the meat in a container, season with salt and pepper, and brush with mustard. Allow meat to cool for 5-6 minutes.
6. Lay out several layers of plastic wrap on a cutting board and place jamon on top. Then, spread the mushroom duxelles evenly over the jamon.
7. Place the tenderloin on top of the mushrooms. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
8. To make the sauce: Place the saucepan on the stove, add the wine, and evaporate three times to remove the alcohol, leaving the flavor. Then, add the broth and evaporate twice more to concentrate the flavor. Turn off the heat and add the chilled butter, stirring constantly (it is important to add the butter in portions so that it melts and the sauce thickens), salt, and pepper.
9. Roll out the puff pastry in a rectangular shape to a thickness of 0.5 cm. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Then, brush the pastry with the yolks. 
10. Wrap the meat in the pastry, tucking the edges in. Place on a baking sheet and brush with egg yolk. 
11. Preheat the oven to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C) and bake for 20-25 minutes.
12. Take the Wellington out of the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes. Slice into 3-4 cm thick slices.
13. Heat the sauce, but do not let it boil. Serve with the sliced meat.

Chef Recipe Tips:

• Grease the dough well with egg yolk so that the juices from the meat remain inside and, our Beef Wellington does not fall apart.
• For an aesthetic look, you can make a net out of the dough and cover the roll before baking. 
• You can also add chopped parsley and dill to the mushroom duxelles.
• If you have a meat thermometer, it’s ideal to cook the tenderloin until it reaches a temperature of 122°F (50°C) at the center of the meat.
• Fry the mushrooms very well to get rid of all the juices. If you do not do this, our Beef Wellington will fall apart and the dough will be too soggy.

What to Serve With Beef Wellington?

Beef Wellington is a decadent and tasty dish that pairs well with a variety of side dishes to create a complete meal. Here are some popular options to serve with Beef Wellington:

• Mashed potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are a classic side dish, complementing the rich flavor of the beef and puff pastry.
• Roasted Vegetables: Add color and nutrition to your meal with roasted vegetables such as carrots, brussels sprouts, and asparagus.
• Green Beans Almondine: Fresh beans sautéed with butter and almonds make a light, crunchy side to balance the richness of Beef Wellington.
• Caesar Salad: A crisp Caesar salad tossed with a homemade dressing and topped with crunchy croutons is a refreshing contrast to the hearty beef entrée.

How to Store Beef Wellington?

For storage, let the Beef Wellington cool completely at room temperature. Then, wrap the Beef Wellington tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent air exposure and moisture loss. As an alternative, you can transfer the Beef Wellington to an airtight container. You can store the wrapped or containerized Beef Wellington in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
For longer storage, you can freeze the Beef Wellington. Before placing in a freezer-safe container or bag, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1-2 months.

Tips for Buying Beef Tenderloin

It can be difficult to find the right size beef tenderloin on the supermarket shelf. Beef tenderloin is often cut into steaks. This won’t work for this recipe. You will need a 1-pound filet of beef.

Make-Ahead Strategies for Beef Wellington

We don’t recommend making the Beef Wellington ahead of time and reheating it when it’s time to serve because the puff pastry will get soggy. However, you can make the mushroom duxelles ahead of time to speed things up when it’s time to cook.

Prepare the mushroom duxelles up to 2 days in advance as described in the recipe. Allow to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.