Beef Wellington is a classic show-stopping dish featuring tender beef fillet coated with mushroom duxelles, wrapped in prosciutto and golden puff pastry, then baked to perfection. Often associated with British fine dining. Crispy on the outside, perfectly pink inside. This recipe walks you through it step by step so you get flawless results.
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
For the Beef:
- 1kg (2–2.2 lb) center-cut beef tenderloin (chateaubriand)
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
For the Mushroom Duxelles:
- 400g mushrooms (cremini or button), finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
For Assembly:
- 8–10 slices prosciutto
- 1 sheet puff pastry (rolled)
- 1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
Equipment
- Heavy skillet
- Food processor (for mushrooms)
- Plastic wrap
- Baking tray
- Meat thermometer (strongly recommended)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1️ Sear the Beef
- Pat beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a hot pan.
- Sear beef on all sides (about 2–3 minutes per side) until browned.
- Remove and brush immediately with Dijon mustard.
- Let cool completely.
💡 Do not cook it through — just sear the outside.
2️ Make the Mushroom Duxelles
- Finely chop mushrooms (food processor works best).
- Cook with butter, shallots, garlic, and thyme over medium heat.
- Stir until all moisture evaporates and mixture becomes paste-like (10–15 minutes).
- Season with salt & pepper.
- Let cool fully.
⚠️ This step is critical — excess moisture makes pastry soggy.
3️ Wrap the Beef
- Lay plastic wrap on counter.
- Arrange prosciutto slices slightly overlapping.
- Spread mushroom mixture evenly over prosciutto.
- Place beef in center.
- Roll tightly using plastic wrap into a firm log.
- Chill 20–30 minutes to set shape.
4️ Wrap in Puff Pastry
- Roll out puff pastry.
- Remove plastic wrap from beef.
- Place beef in center and wrap tightly in pastry.
- Trim excess. Seal edges.
- Brush with egg yolk.
- Score lightly for decoration.
- Chill 15 minutes before baking.
5️ Bake
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Bake 35–45 minutes depending on size.
- Internal temperature guide:
| Doneness | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Rare | 50°C (122°F) |
| Medium Rare | 54–57°C (130–135°F) |
| Medium | 60°C (140°F) |
Remove at 52–54°C for perfect medium-rare (it will rise while resting).
Rest 10–15 minutes before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Red wine reduction sauce
- Roasted asparagus
- Creamy spinach
Pro Tips for Perfect Beef Wellington
✔ Chill between every wrapping stage
✔ Use a thermometer — guessing ruins it
✔ Ensure mushrooms are very dry
✔ Let rest before cutting (or juices will spill out)
Storage
- Fridge: 2 days
- Reheat gently at 160°C (320°F)
- Not ideal for freezing once baked
Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington is a classic show-stopping dish featuring tender beef fillet coated with mushroom duxelles, wrapped in prosciutto and golden puff pastry, then baked to perfection. Crispy on the outside and perfectly pink inside, this step-by-step recipe helps you get flawless results.
Equipment
- heavy skillet
- food processor (for mushrooms)
- plastic wrap
- baking tray
- meat thermometer Strongly recommended
Ingredients
- For the Beef:
- 1 kg center-cut beef tenderloin (chateaubriand)
- salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- For the Mushroom Duxelles:
- 400 g mushrooms (cremini or button), finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
- For Assembly:
- 8–10 slices prosciutto
- 1 sheet puff pastry (rolled)
- 1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a hot pan and sear the beef on all sides (about 2–3 minutes per side) until browned. Remove and brush immediately with Dijon mustard. Let cool completely.Tip: Do not cook it through — just sear the outside.
- Finely chop the mushrooms (a food processor works best). Cook with butter, shallots, garlic, and thyme over medium heat, stirring until all moisture evaporates and the mixture becomes paste-like (10–15 minutes). Season with salt and pepper, then let cool fully.Important: Excess moisture will make the pastry soggy.
- Lay plastic wrap on the counter. Arrange prosciutto slices slightly overlapping. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the prosciutto. Place the beef in the center and roll tightly using the plastic wrap into a firm log. Chill 20–30 minutes to set the shape.
- Roll out the puff pastry. Remove the plastic wrap from the beef. Place the beef in the center and wrap tightly in pastry. Trim excess, seal edges, and brush with egg yolk. Score lightly for decoration, then chill 15 minutes before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Bake for 35–45 minutes depending on size. Use a thermometer: Rare 50°C (122°F), Medium-rare 54–57°C (130–135°F), Medium 60°C (140°F). For best medium-rare, remove at 52–54°C (it will rise while resting). Rest 10–15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Pro tips: Chill between every wrapping stage, use a thermometer, make sure the mushrooms are very dry, and rest before slicing so the juices stay inside.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat gently at 160°C (320°F). Not ideal for freezing once baked.
Internal temperature guide: Rare 50°C (122°F), Medium-rare 54–57°C (130–135°F), Medium 60°C (140°F). For best medium-rare, remove at 52–54°C and rest.