Beef Wellington is a dish that anyone can make, but few can get it perfect. Made up of beef tenderloin, mushrooms, ham, and pastry, Beef Wellington is difficult to get just right, mainly due to the many components involved in making it. But these tips can help you make the perfect beef wellington every time you make it.
Prepare the Puff Pastry
Starting with the outer puff pastry, roll out the two pieces of dough that make up the pastry. Try rolling out extra dough for the larger piece to make sure you have enough; you can always trim it once it is in place. The puff pastry is the pastry of choice when it comes to traditional beef wellington.
You can also opt for a flaky pastry, which results in a buttery crust that soaks up the juices of the meat inside. The recipe for this light outer crust features shredding frozen butter into a bowl full of sifted flour. Add enough water to make a dough that you then freeze for another 30 minutes before rolling out.
Making the Duxelle
A must-have for every beef wellington dish is the duxelle, made up of chopped mushrooms, softened first in butter and then cooked in wine or brandy over medium heat. The idea is to reduce the mushrooms to almost a thick paste, which is applied to the outside of the beef before enclosing it in the pastry.
The best mushrooms to use depends on who you ask. Chefs, such as Gordon Ramsay, use chestnut mushrooms, while others opt for black, porcini, or shitake mushrooms.
Preparing the Roast
After making the duxelle, focus on getting the roast ready. To properly prepare the roast, make sure to cook the roast in the oven for about 20 minutes beforehand to help seal in the juices and keep them from bleeding onto the pastry. You should also dry the roast before placing it in the pastry.
Making the Prosciutto
If you choose, you can add an extra layer of meat to the outside of the roast, called prosciutto, atop the duxelle. Many cooks favor thin slices of pork, which help hold in the duxelle and juices from the meat. For the best beef wellington flavor, avoid using meats that might overpower the underlying beef taste.
Applying the Egg Wash
Once all of your layers are in place, but before wrapping your meat and duxelle inside the pastry, apply an egg wash to the outside of the meat to help the prosciutto cling to the beef. Then, once the meat is safely wrapped up in the pastry, apply another egg wash on top of the pastry dough.
Cooking the Dish
Finally, place the completed beef wellington into the oven set at a relatively low heat of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the dish so that the inside beef is the degree of doneness that you want. For medium-rare meat, aim for 20 to 25 minutes of cooking time. For medium doneness, cook for around 30 minutes.
Final Tips
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Before placing the dish in the oven, make sure to also preheat the baking sheet. You can also sear the outside of the roast in a frying pan, as opposed to placing it in the oven beforehand, to help seal in the juices prior to final cooking.
