Beef Wellington with Mushroom Duxelles (Print Version)

Tender beef and savory mushroom filling wrapped in flaky puff pastry, baked until golden.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1 (2.5–3 lb) center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Mushroom Duxelles

04 - 1 lb cremini or button mushrooms, finely chopped
05 - 2 shallots, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
09 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Assembly

10 - 12 thin slices prosciutto
11 - 18 oz puff pastry (all-butter, thawed if frozen)
12 - 1 egg yolk
13 - 1 tbsp milk

→ For Serving (optional)

14 - Dijon mustard

# Steps:

01 - Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until browned, about 2–3 minutes per side. Remove and let cool completely.
02 - In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic; sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and thyme. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms release moisture and mixture becomes dry and pasty, about 10–15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
03 - Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface. Arrange the prosciutto slices in a slightly overlapping layer to form a rectangle large enough to wrap the beef.
04 - Spread the cooled mushroom duxelles evenly over the prosciutto. Place the cooled beef on top. Using the plastic wrap, roll the prosciutto and mushroom mixture tightly around the beef to form a log. Twist the ends of the wrap to secure. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
05 - Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface to a rectangle large enough to completely enclose the beef. Unwrap the beef log and place it in the center of the pastry.
06 - Mix the egg yolk with milk to make an egg wash. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash. Fold the pastry over the beef, sealing the edges tightly. Trim excess pastry if needed. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
07 - Brush the top with egg wash. Use remaining pastry to decorate, if desired. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
08 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
09 - Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until pastry is golden and a meat thermometer inserted into the center reads 122°F for medium-rare. Rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
10 - Serve with Dijon mustard, if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • There is something magical about hiding tender beef under layers of savory mushrooms and buttery pastry
  • This is the dish that makes people think you have been secretly training as a chef for years
  • The contrast between crispy golden pastry and juicy medium-rare beef is absolutely worth every step
02 -
  • I once rushed the chilling step and ended up with undercooked pastry and overcooked beef, so please do not skip the refrigerator time
  • The temperature will continue rising about 5-10 degrees while resting, so pulling at 50°C (122°F) is not a mistake
  • A sharp serrated knife makes the cleanest slices without dragging or compressing the pastry
03 -
  • After wrapping the beef in prosciutto but before adding the pastry, brushing the beef with Dijon mustard adds another layer of flavor that really ties everything together
  • If the ends of your pastry are browning too quickly, gently tent them with foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking

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