Beef Wellington

This is a classic recipe and one of the few I have ever found, that most chefs make exactly alike, and as written below. My first Beef Wellington was from a Martha Stewart recipe, and then from Tyler Florence, from his show on the Food Network. His was the first one where I saw prosciutto used to wrap around the beef. The recipe below is closest to the Tyler Florence recipe.

Steps: 1. Make Duxelles 2. Sear beef 3. Wrap beef in prosciutto 4. Wrap in pastry 5. Bake
Ingredients for Beef:

  • 3 lb center cut beef tenderloin. Ask your butcher to tie it for you so that it holds an even cylindrical shape. If they can’t, then you will tie it yourself.

  • extra virgin olive oil

  • kosher salt, black pepper

  • 12 thin slices of prosciutto

  • 4 sprigs of thyme

  • 2 Tbl Coleman’s mustard or Dijon mustard

  • 14 oz to 1 lb frozen puff pastry, thawed/chilled (Dufours comes in a 14 oz package)

  • 1 egg, beaten, to seal pastry

  • flour for rolling out dough


Ingredients for mushroom Duxelles:

  • 2 pints mushrooms, minced. A blend works well; cremini, shiitake, button, baby bells

  • 2 shallots, finely minced

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

  • 2 Tbl butter

  • 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

  • salt and pepper



Make Duxelles:

Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add butter and olive oil to a large sauté pan and set over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushroom mixture and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and set aside to cool.



Prepare the beef:

Drizzle the tied beef with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper. In a hot, heavy-based skillet lightly coated with olive oil - sear all over, including the ends, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove beef from heat and let it cool while you prepare the prosciutto “blanket”.

Meanwhile set out your prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap long enough to completely wrap the beef. Layer the prosciutto so it forms a rectangle that is big enough to encompass the entire filet of beef.

Using a rubber spatula cover the prosciutto evenly with a thin layer of duxelles. Set aside until beef is ready to be wrapped.

Remove the twine and smear lightly all over with mustard. Roll the beef in the duxelles covered prosciutto using the plastic wrap to tie it up as tightly as possible ensuring the beef is completely covered and holding a nice even log shape. as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This can also be done the day before.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

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Prepare the puff pastry:
On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Depending on the size of your sheets you may have to overlap 2 sheets and press them together.
Remove beef from refrigerator and unwrap from plastic. Set the beef in the center of the pastry and fold over the longer sides, brushing with egg wash to seal. Trim ends if necessary then brush with egg wash and fold over to completely seal the beef - saving ends to use as a decoration on top if desired. Top with coarse sea salt. Place the beef seam side down on a baking sheet.

Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash then make some decorative slits in the top of the pastry using the tip of a paring knife to create vents that will allow the steam to escape when cooking.


Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and beef registers 125 (rare) to 135 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.


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Remove from oven and rest before cutting into thick slices. Garnish with minced chives, and serve with optional Green Peppercorn Sauce from Tyler Florence.