Traditional Beef Wellington Recipe

When it comes to meat-based recipes that are total showstoppers, it's hard to beat beef Wellington. Chowhound recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse accurately notes, "It's pretty impossible not to fall in love with beef Wellington." For starters, it looks the part of an impressive main course worthy of a special occasion (to be clear, this isn't really the type of recipe you whip up on a whim). Then, its multiple components come together into a layered bite that encompasses everything you would want from a dish. 

Rosenhouse says it best: "If you haven't had the pleasure of trying it, imagine an incredibly tender cut of beef surrounded by a savory mushroom paste with hints of thyme, and thinly sliced prosciutto, all enveloped by buttery, flaky puff pastry." If that's not enough to make you start salivating, she concludes, "A mushroom cream sauce spooned over the top takes it all to the next level." To complete your meal, Rosenhouse recommends to "pair beef Wellington with mashed potatoes for a creamy contrast, and sauteed green beans, garlicky spinach, or asparagus."

For this recipe, you'll need center-cut beef tenderloin roast, kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, olive oil, and Dijon mustard. Next, get cremini mushrooms, unsalted butter, large shallots (finely chopped), garlic cloves (minced), fresh thyme sprigs, and sherry or white wine. Finally, get beef stock, whole grain mustard (or additional Dijon), heavy cream, thinly sliced prosciutto, a package of frozen puff pastry sheets (thawed), and a large egg.

Generously season tenderloin all over with salt and pepper. (Tie with butcher's twine to create an even cylinder, if needed.)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

Add beef to skillet and sear until browned, then rotate to sear all sides.

Transfer beef to a plate, reserving drippings in skillet. Set aside.

Let beef cool briefly, then coat all over with 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the duxelles: In a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until finely chopped.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and liquid has evaporated.

Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, half of the finely chopped shallots, half of the minced garlic, and the leaves of 4 of the thyme sprigs; cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 3-4 minutes until tender.

Add 1 tablespoon sherry and cook, stirring, until liquid has evaporated.

Transfer mushroom mixture to a small sheet pan or plate and refrigerate until cool.

In the meantime, prepare the sauce: Heat the beef drippings in skillet over medium heat.

Add remaining shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon sherry and cook until mostly evaporated.

Stir in beef stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the leaves of remaining 2 sprigs of thyme, and heavy cream.

Simmer until slightly thickened and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat to cool, then refrigerate until ready to use.

Once duxelles have cooled, lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on a clean surface.

Lay slices of prosciutto onto plastic wrap, shingling them slightly, and keeping to the width of the beef (or slightly larger).

Spread duxelles evenly over the prosciutto.

Place tenderloin onto one short side and lift the plastic wrap to help roll up tightly with duxelles and prosciutto.

Wrap the tenderloin tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use (or up to a day ahead).

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Place puff pastry on a clean surface and roll to a large rectangle, at least 2-3 inches wider than the wrapped tenderloin. Lightly flour if needed to prevent sticking.

Prepare egg wash by whisking egg with a splash of water.

Roll to wrap tenderloin in puff pastry, brushing the last third of the pastry with egg wash to help it adhere.

Trim off excess pastry.

Pinch the bottom seam to secure and tuck in the sides of the puff pastry, fully encasing the tenderloin.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Transfer tenderloin to baking sheet and use the back of a small paring knife to score a design as desired.

Brush top and sides with egg wash.

Bake for approximately 40 to 50 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the beef reaches 105 to 110 F. Transfer to a cutting board to rest for 20 minutes.

Reheat the sauce to warm through.

Slice beef Wellington into portions using a serrated knife.

Serve drizzled with the mustard cream sauce and garnished with additional thyme, if desired.

Some recipes have a clear cut origin, while others are referenced in multiple contexts over time, making their source a little fuzzier. That's the case with beef Wellington, whose story isn't so easy to pinpoint — it could be French or it might be English. In France, a dish called "filet de boeuf en croûte" (beef in a crust) likely refers to the same recipe, simply with a different name. Even the origin of the name beef Wellington is hard to ascertain, as some sources suggest it refers to Duke Wellington while others say it comes from the dish's resemblance to rubber boots, called Wellington boots in England.

Confusions aside, Rosenhouse shares, "personally my first introduction to beef Wellington was via an episode of Julia Child's 'The French Chef.' I found a video on it online and it's so fun to watch!" Child appears to be responsible for popularizing the recipe in the U.S., including it in the aforementioned episode as well as in her cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

"Making beef Wellington is a time consuming process, but the good news is that portions of it can be prepared in advance," Rosenhouse notes, which should be a relief for home chefs. The three-hour duration required to make this recipe means it's more of a dish you plan ahead for. Thankfully, you can cut down on some of that time by making a few of the components, storing them, and then assembling them when you're ready to bake the dish. 

"The duxelles can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days," Rosenhouse instructs. Next, she explains, "Once coated with the duxelles and prosciutto, the beef can be tightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to one day." Only bring in the puff pastry when you're ready to bake the dish, otherwise the texture will be affected. "The sauce can also be prepared a day or two ahead," Rosenhouse adds, and recommends, "Reheat on the stovetop before serving."