Traditional Beef Wellington

The beef wellington, is a culinary masterpiece. Celebrity chefs love to show off their variations, Gordon Ramsey’s being the one that seems to be the definitive.
I know this because I’ve seen a bunch of influencers tell me so.

There are so many things that can go wrong and I can tell you that despite years of experience making these, (We used to do individual ones for weddings – god I hated those days), I still manage to make mistakes when I’m making them. I fret and I get cantankerous and i beat myself up a little but once the mistake is done, its done, there’s no going back.

But that being said, sometimes a mistake is where genius lies. I once forgot my herbs, all of them. Not just adding them into the dish but didnt even buy them. So i decided to do something different, into my mushroom duxelle (the mushroomy paste stuff), I added a mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery), a bunch of garlic and some mustard powder. It was super yum, not in this recipe because I am going traditional but its something to think on.

Beef Wellington Recipe

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes (check internal temperature for doneness)

Ingredients

  • For the Beef Wellington:
    • 16 oz Beef Fillet
    • 1 sheet of Puff Pastry (shop-bought)
    • Pancetta or Porchetta slices, enough to wrap the fillet
  • For the Crepes:
    • 1 cup Flour
    • 1 cup Milk
    • 2 Eggs
    • 1 tbsp Butter (melted)
    • Pinch of Salt
  • For the Duxelles:
    • 1 cup Mushrooms, finely diced
    • 1 small Onion, finely diced
    • 1 tsp fresh Thyme, chopped
    • 1 tsp fresh Sage, chopped
    • 1 tsp Black Pepper
    • Salt to taste
  • For Assembly:
    • 1 Egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Beef Fillet:
    • Season the beef fillet generously with salt and pepper. Leave it at room temperature for 20 minutes.
    • Heat a pan over high heat and sear the fillet on all sides until itโ€™s browned. Set aside to cool.
  2. Make the Duxelles:
    • In a food processor, finely dice the mushrooms, onions, thyme, and sage.
    • In a pan over medium heat, cook the mixture until all the moisture has evaporated, and the ingredients are well combined. Season with salt and black pepper. Allow to cool.
  3. Prepare the Crepes:
    • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, eggs, melted butter, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
    • Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and pour a small amount of batter into the pan, swirling to coat evenly.
    • Cook until the crepe is lightly browned on the bottom, then flip and cook the other side. Repeat until all the batter is used. Let the crepes cool.
  4. Assemble the Wellington:
    • Lay out a large piece of cling film on a flat surface.
    • Place the crepes in a single layer on the cling film.
    • Lay the pancetta or porchetta slices over the crepes.
    • Spread the cooled duxelles mixture evenly over the pancetta or porchetta.
    • Place the seared beef fillet on top of the duxelles.
    • Using the cling film, carefully roll the layers around the beef fillet into a tight roll. Twist the ends of the cling film to secure it and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  5. Wrap with Puff Pastry:
    • Preheat your oven to 200ยฐC (390ยฐF).
    • Remove the beef roll from the cling film.
    • Lay the puff pastry on a flat surface and place the beef roll in the center.
    • Carefully wrap the puff pastry around the beef roll, sealing the edges and trimming any excess.
    • Seal the ends of the pastry by pressing them tightly and tucking them underneath the roll.
    • Brush the pastry all over with the beaten egg to create a golden crust.
  6. Bake:
    • Place the pastry-covered beef roll on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
    • Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the internal temperature of the beef reaches your desired doneness (125ยฐF for rare, 135ยฐF for medium-rare).
    • Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

    Note: Cooking times can vary based on the thickness of your beef fillet and your oven. Use a meat thermometer to ensure your beef is cooked to your preference.

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