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Beef Wellington
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Beef Wellington

A classic show-stopping centre-piece of beef fillet coated in mustard, wrapped in a mushroom duxelles and prosciutto layer, encased in golden puff pastry. Serves 4; best cooked to medium-rare and rested before slicing.

Prep:60 min
Cook:35 min
Total:95 min
Servings:4
hard
British
classic
dinner
centrepiece
holiday

Ingredients

  • •900 g beef fillet (centre-cut)
  • •1 tsp sea salt
  • •1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • •1 tbsp olive oil
  • •1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • •400 g chestnut or button mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • •2 medium shallots, finely chopped
  • •2 clove garlic cloves, crushed
  • •2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
  • •2 tbsp dry white wine or dry sherry (optional)
  • •8 slices prosciutto (Parma ham) slices
  • •2 tbsp pâté (optional, e.g. chicken or foie gras)
  • •2 tbsp Dijon or English mustard
  • •375 g ready-rolled puff pastry
  • •1 tbsp plain flour (for dusting)
  • •1 large large egg (for egg wash)
  • •1 tbsp milk (for egg wash)
  • •150 ml beef stock (for optional sauce)
  • •100 ml red wine (for optional sauce)
  • •1 tbsp butter (for optional sauce)

Instructions

  1. 1.Trim any silver skin from the beef fillet and tie with kitchen string at 2–3 cm intervals to keep a uniform shape. Season all over with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  2. 2.Heat the olive oil and half the butter in a heavy frying pan until very hot. Sear the fillet on all sides (including the ends) for about 1–2 minutes per side to develop a deep brown crust. Remove from the pan, brush all over with the mustard, then set aside to cool. Chill briefly (10–15 minutes) to firm up if you like—this makes wrapping easier.
  3. 3.Make the mushroom duxelles: in a food processor pulse the mushrooms until finely chopped (or finely chop by hand). In the same frying pan, melt the remaining butter and add a dash of oil, then cook the shallots and garlic for 2 minutes until soft.
  4. 4.Add the chopped mushrooms and thyme to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the moisture has evaporated and the mixture is very dry (about 8–12 minutes). If using, add the white wine or sherry early and cook until evaporated. Season to taste and leave to cool completely.
  5. 5.On a large sheet of cling film, lay the prosciutto slices slightly overlapping into a rectangle large enough to wrap the beef. Spread the cooled duxelles evenly over the prosciutto, leaving a little margin around the edges. If using pâté, spread a thin layer on the mustard-coated fillet now.
  6. 6.Place the cooled fillet at one end of the prosciutto/duxelles rectangle and, using the cling film, roll tightly so the prosciutto and duxelles encase the beef. Twist the cling film ends to tighten and form a neat log. Chill in the fridge for at least 15–20 minutes to set the shape.
  7. 7.Lightly dust your work surface with plain flour and roll out the puff pastry to a rectangle large enough to wrap the beef (approx. 35 x 30 cm, depending on your fillet). Remove the cling film from the fillet roll and place the roll onto the pastry in the centre.
  8. 8.Brush a little beaten egg wash around the pastry edges. Wrap the pastry around the fillet, sealing seams well and trimming any excess pastry. Place the sealed joint-side down on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
  9. 9.Brush the entire pastry with the egg wash (egg beaten with the splash of milk). Chill again for 15 minutes to help the pastry hold its shape. If desired, use leftover pastry to decorate the top — stick decorations on with a little egg wash.
  10. 10.Just before baking, score the top lightly with a sharp knife (do not cut through), and give one final egg wash. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / Gas mark 6.
  11. 11.Bake the Wellington on the middle shelf for 35–40 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature around 50–52°C on removal; it will rise while resting). For medium, bake 40–45 minutes. If the pastry is colouring too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
  12. 12.Remove from the oven and rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing. Resting is essential to allow the juices to redistribute and to finish cooking gently.
  13. 13.To serve, remove the kitchen string, transfer to a board and carve into generous slices with a sharp knife. Serve immediately.
  14. 14.Optional red wine sauce: while the Wellington rests, deglaze the frying pan with the red wine, reduce by two-thirds, add the beef stock and reduce until slightly thickened, then whisk in the butter to finish. Season to taste and serve alongside slices of Wellington.
  15. 15.Make-ahead and freezing tips: you can prepare the wrapped prosciutto/duxelles-covered fillet up to the pastry stage, then freeze unbaked. Bake from frozen, adding 10–15 minutes to the oven time; check internal temperature carefully.
  16. 16.Don’t forget: check the internal temperature for doneness rather than relying solely on time. Aim for 48–52°C before resting for medium-rare. Let the Wellington rest to reach a final temperature of around 54–56°C.