Beef Wellington is famously one of the trickiest dishes for the home cook to master; it is also one of the most delicious and awe-inspiring. Seriously, when you bring your Easy Beef Wellington to the table, be prepared to hear some “oooooh’s” as well as “mmmmmmmmm’s.” Yes, we said Easy Beef Wellington—you can enjoy the savory, meaty center, wrapped in salty fatty prosciutto and tangy mustard, within buttery rich puff pastry baked to a perfect golden brown without all the stress. This dish is perfect for special occasions or making special occasions happen!
Ingredients
- 1 (2 pound), center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 pounds mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 1 thyme sprig
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 thin slices prosciutto
- flour, for rolling
- 14 ounces frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg, beaten
- flaky salt, optional, for sprinkling
Directions
Step 1 –Tie the tenderloin in 4 places using kitchen twine. Tying might seem like a hassle, but it’s vital to ensure the meat cooks evenly throughout.
Step 2 –Season the tenderloin generously with salt and pepper. Meat this thick needs quite a bit of seasoning.
Step 3 –Coat the bottom of a heavy skillet over high heat on the stove-top with the olive oil.
Step 4 –Once the pan is nearly smoking, sear the tenderloin until it is well-browned on all sides, including the ends, about 2 minutes per side or 12 minutes total. The goal here is not to cook the meat all the way through but to get a roast-flavored jacket on the meat.
Step 5 –Transfer the tenderloin to a plate.
Step 6 –When it is cool enough to handle, snip off the twine and coat all the sides with the mustard.
Step 7 –Let the meat cool in the fridge.
Step 8 –Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the mushrooms, shallots, and thyme until they are finely chopped.
Step 9 –Add the butter to a skillet and melt it over medium heat.
Step 10 –Add the mushroom mixture to the butter and cook it until the liquid has evaporated and it becomes a paste, about 25 minutes. This paste, called duxelles, enhances the beef flavor of the Wellington.
Step 11 –Season it with salt and pepper, then let it cool in the fridge.
Step 12 –Place plastic wrap down on a work surface, overlapping, so it is twice the length and width of the tenderloin.
Step 13 –Shingle the prosciutto on the plastic wrap into a rectangle that is big enough to cover the whole tenderloin.
Step 14 –Spread the mushroom mixture evenly and thinly over the prosciutto.
Step 15 –Season the tenderloin, then place it at the bottom of the prosciutto rectangle.
Step 16 –Roll the meat into the prosciutto-mushroom mixture, using the plastic wrap to roll it tightly.
Step 17 –Tuck the ends of the prosciutto in as you roll, then twist the ends of the plastic wrap tightly into a log and transfer the log to the fridge to chill in order to maintain its shape.
Step 18 –Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 19 –Lightly flour your work surface, then spread out the puff pastry and roll it into a rectangle that will cover the tenderloin, slightly bigger than the prosciutto rectangle. Remove the tenderloin from the plastic wrap and place it on the bottom of the puff pastry.
Step 20 –Brush the other three edges of the pastry with a beaten egg, then tightly roll the beef into the pastry.
Step 21 –Once the log is fully covered in the puff pastry, trim any extra pastry and crimp the edges with a fork to seal it well.
Step 22 –Wrap the roll in plastic wrap to get a tight cylinder, then chill it for 20 minutes.
Step 23 –Remove the plastic wrap, then transfer the roll to a foil-lined baking sheet.
Step 24 –Brush every surface of the Wellington with the beaten egg and sprinkle it with the flaky salt.
Step 25 –Bake the Wellington until the pastry is golden and the center registers 120 degrees F for medium-rare, about 40-45 minutes.
Step 26 –Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
