John Miller
Beef Wellington is a luxurious, traditional English dish that is believed to have originated in the 1800s. It is a popular dish for special occasions and romantic dinners. The dish consists of beef tenderloin coated with pâté, a spreadable liver dish, and duxelles, a French cooking mixture usually consisting of finely diced or pureed mushrooms, herbs, and often wine cooked down to form a paste-like spread. The coated tenderloin is then wrapped in ham and a blanket of puff pastry and cooked in the oven. To prepare the mushroom duxelles, the mushrooms are finely chopped and fried in a hot pan with olive oil, thyme leaves, and seasoning. When the mushrooms release their juices, they are cooked over high heat until the excess moisture evaporates, leaving a mushroom paste. This mushroom paste is then spread over the ham, which is then wrapped around the beef.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of mushrooms | Cremini, baby bella, button, shiitake, portabello, or a mix |
| How to chop | Finely chop by hand or pulse in a food processor |
| How finely to chop | Very fine, resembling coarse breadcrumbs |
| Cooking method | Sauté in a pan with olive oil, thyme, and seasoning |
| Cooking time | 10-15 minutes, until moisture evaporates |
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What You'll Learn
Chop mushrooms finely
Chopping mushrooms finely is an important step in preparing Beef Wellington, a classic English dish that typically consists of beef tenderloin coated with pâté, a spreadable liver dish, and duxelles, a French cooking mixture.
To chop mushrooms finely, start by selecting fresh mushrooms that are firm and free of bruises or soft spots. Clean the mushrooms by gently wiping them with a damp cloth or paper towel to remove any dirt. Do not rinse the mushrooms under running water as they tend to absorb moisture.
Next, use a sharp chef's knife to finely chop the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms on a cutting board and use a rocking motion with your knife to chop them into small, even-sized pieces. You can also pulse the mushrooms in a food processor until they are finely chopped, but be careful not to overprocess them into a paste.
Alternatively, for an even finer chop, you can use the "tap chop" technique. Hold the knife with your dominant hand and place the mushrooms on a cutting board. Use your non-dominant hand to hold the knife tip, with your fingers curled under the blade. Tap the knife gently against the cutting board while moving it up and down, using the momentum to chop the mushrooms finely.
Once the mushrooms are finely chopped, they can be cooked in a pan with some olive oil, thyme, and seasoning. Sauté them over medium heat until they release their moisture and continue cooking until the excess moisture evaporates, leaving you with a mushroom paste or duxelles.
This finely chopped mushroom mixture is a key component in Beef Wellington, adding flavour and moisture to the dish. It is spread over the ham or prosciutto before wrapping the beef tenderloin, resulting in a delicious and impressive main course.
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Cook until moisture evaporates
To make Beef Wellington, you'll need to cook the mushrooms until their moisture evaporates. This is an important step in preparing the mushroom duxelles, a key component of the dish.
Here's a detailed guide on how to do this:
First, finely chop your mushrooms. You can do this by hand or use a food processor, pulsing until they are very finely chopped. Cremini or baby bella mushrooms are a good variety to use for this.
Next, heat a sauté pan to medium-high heat. Add a small amount of olive oil or butter to the pan. You can also add some thyme leaves and seasoning at this stage for extra flavour.
Now, add the chopped mushrooms to the pan. They will start to release their juices as they cook. Continue cooking over a medium-high to high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes.
The mushrooms are ready when all the excess moisture has evaporated, leaving you with a thick mushroom paste or duxelle. This process ensures that the mushrooms are cooked down to a concentrated, flavourful paste, which is essential for the texture and taste of the Beef Wellington.
Once the mushrooms are cooked, remove them from the heat and set them aside to cool before proceeding to the next steps of assembling and cooking your Beef Wellington.
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Mushrooms and beef assembly
To assemble the mushrooms and beef for Beef Wellington, follow these steps:
Firstly, prepare the mushrooms. Clean and trim the mushrooms, removing any stems. You can use a variety of mushrooms such as cremini, button, shiitake, or portabello. Chop the mushrooms finely. You can do this by hand or use a food processor and pulse until they are very finely chopped.
Next, cook the mushrooms. Heat some olive oil or butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and sauté until they release their moisture and begin to brown. Continue cooking until most of the moisture has evaporated and you are left with a mushroom paste, also known as a duxelle. Season the duxelle with salt, pepper, thyme, or other herbs and spices of your choice. Set the mushroom duxelle aside to cool.
Now, prepare the beef. Trim any excess fat or silver skin from the beef tenderloin. Season the beef with salt and pepper, or other seasonings like mustard or porcini powder. Sear the beef in a hot pan with a little olive oil or butter until browned on all sides, about 10-12 minutes. You can also tie the beef with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals to ensure even cooking and improve the appearance of the final dish.
Once the beef is seared and seasoned, it's time to assemble. Lay out slices of ham, such as Parma ham or prosciutto, on a sheet of plastic wrap, slightly overlapping them to create a square. Spread the mushroom duxelle over the ham. Place the beef in the centre and use the plastic wrap to roll the ham and mushrooms around the beef tightly, forming a barrel shape. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to secure it and chill the beef package in the refrigerator for at least 20- 30 minutes.
Finally, wrap the puff pastry around the beef. Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface to a size that will wrap around the beef. Remove the plastic wrap from the beef and place it in the centre of the pastry. Wrap the pastry around the beef, trimming any excess, and brush with an egg wash. Cover with cling film and chill for at least another 30 minutes before baking.
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Wrap in puff pastry
Now that you've chopped your mushrooms and cooked them into a paste, it's time to assemble your Beef Wellington.
Firstly, roll out your puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. You want to roll it out to a size that will wrap around the beef. If you're making individual Beef Wellingtons, you'll need to cut the pastry in half and roll each piece into a rectangle large enough to envelop one of the beef fillets.
Next, lay out your slices of ham on a sheet of plastic wrap, overlapping them slightly so they're large enough to wrap around and encapsulate the beef. Spread the mushroom mixture over the ham.
Place the beef in the middle and roll the mushroom and ham over it, using the plastic wrap to help you create a tight barrel shape. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to secure, then refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Remove the cling film from the beef. Brush the pastry with an egg wash, then wrap the pastry around each ham-wrapped fillet. Trim the pastry and brush all over with the egg wash. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
When you're ready to cook, score the pastry lightly and brush with the egg wash again. Then, bake at 200°C/Gas 6 for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked.
And there you have it—your Beef Wellington is ready to serve!
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Bake in the oven
When you are ready to cook your Beef Wellington, preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6 or 400°F (204ºC). Place the wellington on a sheet pan and bake until the pastry is golden brown. The internal temperature should reach 125°F (52ºC) for medium-rare or 130 to 135ºF (54 to 57ºC) for medium on a meat thermometer. This will take about 15-20 minutes in the oven at 200°C/Gas 6, or 20-30 minutes at 400°F (204ºC).
Remove the Beef Wellington from the oven and let it rest on the sheet pan for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This is an important step as the pastry seals in the heat, and the Wellington will continue to cook and go up in temperature as it rests. The carryover cooking will raise the temperature by about 5ºF, ensuring perfect doneness.
To check for accuracy, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the beef.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushrooms should be very finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor.
Cook the mushrooms over medium to medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes until they release their moisture and it evaporates, leaving a mushroom paste or duxelles.
Cremini or baby bella mushrooms are recommended, but you can also use button, shiitake, portabello, or a mix.
Yes, the mushroom duxelles can be made up to two days ahead of time. Cool it completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Spread the mushroom mixture over slices of ham laid out on plastic wrap. Place the beef in the middle and roll the mushroom and ham over the beef, using the plastic wrap to get a tight barrel shape.
