Beef Wellington: The King of Holiday Meats

beef tenderloin

🥗Healthier: chicken breast

💰Cheaper: sirloin

Chicken breast is lower in fat and more affordable.

prosciutto

🥗Healthier: turkey bacon

💰Cheaper: ham

Turkey bacon is leaner and ham is often less expensive.

puff pastry

🥗Healthier: phyllo dough

💰Cheaper: homemade pastry dough

Phyllo dough is lower in calories and homemade dough can be cost-effective.

Dijon mustard

🥗Healthier: whole grain mustard

💰Cheaper: yellow mustard

Whole grain mustard offers similar flavor with added texture.

Trim the beef fillet to remove excess fat and silver skin, leaving a cylinder as even as possible.

Generously salt the fillet on all sides and let it rest for at least 2 hours.

Prepare the crepe batter by mixing flour, a pinch of salt, a touch of sugar, and gradually adding milk until smooth.

Add eggs and melted butter to the batter, then strain it to remove lumps.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and place a non-stick baking tray inside to heat for about 10 minutes.

Pour a thin layer of crepe batter onto the hot tray and bake until the edges pull away, indicating it's done.

Finely chop common button mushrooms, shallots, and parsley, then sauté in butter.

Combine the sautéed shallots and parsley with the raw chopped mushrooms, drizzle with olive oil, and spread on two baking trays.

Bake the mushroom mixture at 350°F (180°C) to remove moisture without losing flavor.

Sear the salted fillet in a hot carbon steel pan with high smoke point oil or clarified butter until a crust forms, then deglaze with cognac.

Trim the crepe to size, lay down prosciutto di Parma, and spread mushroom truffle duxelles on top.

Place the seared fillet in the center of the crepe and roll it tightly, then refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm up.

Brush the inside of the puff pastry with an egg wash made from yolks and cream, then wrap the fillet tightly in the pastry.

Seal the seams with a fork and fold any excess pastry under the log for a clean shape.

Decorate the pastry with a lattice pattern or score it with a knife, then brush the outside with egg wash.

Bake in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-25 minutes, checking for a golden color and internal temperature of 118°F (48°C) for medium rare.

Let the Beef Wellington rest briefly before slicing and serving with demiglace.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens