Ultimate Beef Wellington
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree; Dinner
Prep: 
Cook: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8
 
Beef tenderloin wrapped in prosciutto and puff pastry...beef wellington at home tastes every bit as amazing as it does at a restaurant. We loved this with gravy, roasted fingerling potatoes, and a big mixed green salad.
Ingredients
  • FOR DUXELLES:
  • 1 pound white button mushrooms
  • ½ an onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme (leaves only), or ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • FOR BEEF:
  • 1 (2.5 - 3 lb) center cut beef tenderloin, trimmed of fat
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 12 thin slices prosciutto
  • 6 sprigs of fresh thyme (leaves only), or 1½ tsp dried thyme
  • 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • Flour for rolling out puff pastry
  • 1 pound (454 g) puff pastry, thawed if using frozen
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
  1. FOR THE DUXELLES: Add mushrooms, chopped onion, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
  2. In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add mushroom mixture and saute for 8-10 minutes, until most of the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
  3. FOR THE BEEF:
  4. Tie the tenderloin in 4 places with kitchen twine so it holds its shape while cooking. Drizzle meat with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and sear all over (including ends) in hot skillet lightly coated with olive oil. The meat should sizzle when it touches the pan, or your pan isn't hot enough - it should only need to sear for 2-3 minutes per side.
  5. Meanwhile, set out your prosciutto on a long sheet of plastic wrap (or two overlapping sheets if necessary, to make about a foot and a half in length). Shingle the prosciutto so it forms a rectangle big enough to encompass the entire piece of beef.
  6. Using a rubber spatula, cover prosciutto evenly with a thin layer of duxelles. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme.
  7. When beef is seared, remove pan from heat, cut twine off beef, and smear lightly all over with Dijon mustard.
  8. Roll the beef up in the prosciutto, using the plastic wrap to hold it tightly together. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Twist the ends of the plastic to seal it completely and keep the nice log shape. Set in the fridge for 30 minutes (or longer - ours went in for close to 2 hours) to ensure it maintains its shape when cooked.
  9. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  10. On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry dough to about ¼" thickness. You may have to overlap two sheets and press them together. Whisk egg in small bowl for egg wash.
  11. Remove beef from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Set beef in center of puff pastry and fold over the longer sides, brushing with egg wash to seal. Trim ends of pastry if necessary, then brush with egg wash and and fold over to completely seal in the beef.
  12. Place beef seam side down on a lightly greased foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the top and sides of the pastry lightly with the egg wash, then make a couple slits in the top with a small sharp knife to allow steam to escape.
  13. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until pastry is golden brown (and, if you have an instant-read meat thermometer, beef registers 125 degrees Fahrenheit).
  14. Remove from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes before slicing into thick wedges to serve. (If you want to serve it with gravy, this is a good time to make that :))
  15. Enjoy!
Recipe by Hidden Ponies at https://hiddenponies.com/2014/03/ultimate-beef-wellington/