The Perfect Classic Beef Wellington Recipe – Danny’s Delight

An amazing center piece at the Christmas dinner, or any fancy dinner. A beef wellington is made with tender beef, mushrooms and crunchy puff pastry…

Beef Wellington originated in England and could be associated with the Duke of Wellington, but there’s no real evidence of that. All we can tell you for sure is that one bite of this show-stopping beef tenderloin dinner will make you a fan for life.

The concept of cooking a piece of meat in a pastry crust to keep it moist is way too much older than we can think off. Whatever the origins of the dish may be, this is one dinner party classic that deserves a revival. Not only does it look and taste spectacular, but it’s surprisingly simple, and can be prepared ahead of time, ready to eat on the battlefield of festive fun.

This is one of my favorite things to make for a fancier meal, perfect for birthdays or anniversaries and holiday dinners. It looks and tastes complicated though but once you get the hang of it you can make it flawlessly.

How to make Beef Wellington…

Making Beef Wellington is really a lot easier than you might think. All you need is a pan or dutch oven large enough to fit your roast for searing the beef and a good meat thermometer.

Serves: 8 Prep: 30 mins Cook: 40 mins

Recipe Keys: Dairy free, Low Carb, Meal prep, High protein

What you’ll need to make Beef Wellington…

• 1.3 lbs. (600g) beef tenderloin (fillet)
• 1 oz. (30g) unsalted butter
• 9 oz. (250g) chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup (20g) parsley, leaves chopped
• 2 tbsp. chives, chopped
• 6 oz. (180g) Parma ham
• 9.5 oz. (270g) ready made puff pastry
• 1 egg, yolk only
• salt and pepper

What you need to do to make Beef Wellington…

This classic Beef Wellington recipe comes out tender and juicy every time!

1. Preheat the oven 400F (200C). Pat dry the beef tenderloin with kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat half of the butter in a frying pan, over a medium heat, and brown the meat all over. Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside to cool on a plate.
2. In the meantime, finely chop the mushrooms, parsley and chives. Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms over a medium heat until the moisture has evaporated from the mushrooms. Mix in the parsley and chives and season with salt and pepper. Set aside and leave this mixture to cool to room temperature.
3. Place the slices of Parma ham next to each other in 3 rows onto a piece of cling film measuring 12×16 inch (3x40cm). Overlap the slices of ham slightly. Spread the mushroom mixture over the ham and place the beef tenderloin on top. Using the cling film, roll the ham tightly around the tenderloin.
4. Chill the roll in a refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
5. Roll out the puff pastry on baking paper and place in a baking tray. Remove the beef tenderloin from the cling film and place in the center of the pastry. Fold the pastry into a package around the beef and let the edges overlap by 1 cm. Cut off any excess pastry and press the edges down well to seal. Carefully turn the beef Wellington over so that the seam of the pastry is on the bottom of the tray.
6. Beat the egg yolk and brush it over the top of the beef Wellington with a pastry brush. Chill for 10 minutes.
7. Bake the wrapped beef Wellington for approximately 35 minutes in the middle shelf of the oven, or until the meat thermometer inserted into the center of the beef indicates an internal temperature of 120°F (50°C).
8. Remove the beef Wellington from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes with some kitchen foil placed loosely on top. Use a sharp knife to cut the Wellington into thick slices at the table and serve immediately.

Some Tips:

• Use the best beef: Beef Wellington is a luxurious and rich main dish. As such, you should go for the best quality beef tenderloin you can find.
• Don’t skip the step of cooking the mushrooms. This draws out the moisture which could ruin your puff pastry.
• Be patient. You need to chill the whole roll for 20 minutes after assembling with the ham and mushrooms. And another 10 minutes after you wrap it with the pastry.