Beef Wellington
The enduring popularity of this dish—a filet of beef tenderloin coated with pâté de foie gras and a duxelle of mushrooms that are then all wrapped in puff pastry—is legendary. It has remained a favorite in Britain and the U.S. for over a century ever since it was created to honor the Duke of Wellington, a hero of the Napoleonic Wars. I have prepared this dish for many occasions such as birthdays, holidays and special dining events both at home and in the kitchens of many restaurants.
Popularity of this famous dish continues to flourish today with it’s emergence on restaurant menus and also being featured as an entree on Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen in recent episodes. I’ve sold a few copies of this recipe on eBay over the past year, but have decided to take down all my recipe items for sale, and will be selling my spices only from this site. Therefore, these previously on “eBay only” recipes will be added to the blog over the next few days and hope you enjoy them soon.
Ingredients |
1 |
Each |
3 1/2-pound tenderloin of beef trimmed of silver skin and fat |
1 pound |
Lb. |
Mushrooms, finely chopped |
3 |
Tbsp. |
Unsalted butter |
To taste |
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper |
1/2 |
Lb. |
pâté de foie gras at room temperature |
1 |
Lb. |
Thawed puff pastry, plus additional for garnish |
1 |
Lg. |
Egg white, beaten |
1 |
Lg. |
Egg yolk, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water for egg wash |
1/2 |
Cup |
Madeira Wine |
2 |
Tsp. |
Arrowroot, dissolved in 1 teaspoon cold water |
1/2 |
Cup |
Beef broth or veal demi-glace |
Procedure Steps |
1. |
In a sauté pan over highest heat setting brown the tenderloin on the stove top for 25 to 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 120° F internal. Transfer the tenderloin to a separate pan to cool completely. Discard the fat from the pan juices and reserve juices in another container for later use. |
2. |
In the same sauté pan cook the mushrooms in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring until all the liquid is evaporated and the mixture is almost dry or au sec, then season with the salt and pepper and let cool completely. |
3. |
On a floured surface, roll 1 pound of the puff pastry dough into a rectangle large enough to enclose the filet completely, about 20 by 12 inches. The dimensions will vary depending on the overall size of the tenderloin. |
4. |
Spread the tenderloin evenly with the pâté de foie gras, covering the top and sides; spread the mushrooms evenly over the pâté de foie gras. |
5. |
Place the coated tenderloin carefully onto the middle of the dough and fold up the long sides of the dough to enclose the fillet. Brush the dough’s edges with the egg white to seal. Repeat with the ends of dough. |
6. |
Transfer the wrapped tenderloin, seam side down, to a sheet pan or a shallow roasting pan and brush with some of the egg wash. Roll out the additional dough and cut shapes with decorative cutters. Arrange the cutouts on top, brush with the remaining egg wash and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no more than 2 hours. |
7. |
Bake the tenderloin in the middle of a preheated 400°F oven for 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until a meat thermometer registers 130°F for medium-rare. Remove and let stand for 15 minutes. |
8. |
In sauté pan, bring the reserved pan juices and Madeira to a simmer and continue until reduced by half. Add the arrowroot mixture, beef broth or veal demi-glace, truffles and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over moderate-low heat, stirring for 5 minutes or until thickened. |
9. |
Loosen the tenderloin from the sheet pan, transfer with two spatulas to a serving platter. To serve, cut the fillet into 3/4-inch-thick slices, and serve with the sauce on the side. |
Images courtesy of Sashertootie, originally posted to Flickr at: http://flickr.com/photos/72939801@N00/2140307504 and http://flickr.com/photos/72939801@N00/2140307512 Images originally posted to Flickr by Sashertootie and confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0 as stated on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beef_Wellington.
Tags: Commentary · Entrees · French Cuisine · Recipes
16 responses so far ↓
1 Donalyn // Oct 1, 2009 at 10:14 am
What luxury – beautiful recipe Ryan!
2 Kian // Oct 1, 2009 at 10:41 am
Beef Wellington is one of the most under appreciated dish in America. May be too often restaurants out there just bungle this dish.
3 Jessie // Oct 1, 2009 at 11:36 am
that is truly an elegant dish, I’m so happy that you decided to share it with us 🙂 I’m bookmarking this one!
4 Natasha // Oct 1, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Wow! I can tell a lot of care and effort went into making this. Very beautiful and welcoming presentation.
5 phil // Oct 1, 2009 at 11:22 pm
O my that looks really good. I am literally so close to drooling over my keyboard right now.
6 sokehahcheah // Oct 7, 2009 at 8:59 am
That sure looks good. Thanks for sharing
7 kellypea // Oct 7, 2009 at 9:11 am
Sounds fabulous. I’ve made mini Wellies before with sauteed portobellos and spinach, but would love to do a larger version like this!
8 Alta // Oct 7, 2009 at 10:42 am
This looks absolutely beautiful. I have so wanted to try beef wellington. It looks decadent and perfect when cooked properly. I wonder if I can find a way to make gluten-free puff pastry.
9 Ryan Boudreaux // Oct 7, 2009 at 10:59 am
Humm, gluten-free puff pastry, I wonder if there is a food technologist out there working on that one! Would be a boon for those with ciliac disease.
10 Lori Lynn // Oct 7, 2009 at 11:22 am
this was very popular at the restaurant chain I worked at in the 80’s.
Yours looks perfect!
My friend made them the other night, and made a vegetarian version too, Beet Wellington. Both excellent!
LL
11 pegasuslegend // Oct 7, 2009 at 7:09 pm
A real beauty. Love this dish!
12 Debi (Table Talk) // Oct 7, 2009 at 10:23 pm
A classic that still holds a captive audience.
13 sizzlechef // Oct 8, 2009 at 10:59 am
Thank you for sharing . Cheers !
14 Karen // Oct 14, 2009 at 5:15 pm
That looks amazing, would love to try it, but I am cooking for one right now.
15 Ryan Boudreaux // Oct 14, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Oh hey now! You can do the same with individual beef tenderloin filets.
16 Earl Cooley III // Aug 3, 2010 at 8:50 pm
Here is a recipe for gluten-free puff pastry.