Succulent Beef Wellington

The grand centerpiece of a celebration dinner, Beef Wellington wraps a whole beef tenderloin in a savory mushroom layer and flaky golden pastry. It looks impressive because it is, but the method is really a series of manageable steps.

The tenderloin is first roasted on its own to firm it up and start the cooking, then cooled, an important step, since wrapping warm meat would melt the pastry into a greasy mess. Meanwhile, chopped mushrooms cook down in butter and get enriched off the heat with pate, a splash of Cognac, and chives, forming the classic duxelles that coats the beef and keeps it moist.

Spread that over the cooled tenderloin, wrap it in rolled-out puff pastry, seal the seams, and brush with an egg-yolk wash for shine. A hot oven crisps the pastry to deep gold while the beef inside stays rosy and tender.

Pro Tips

• Cool the roasted beef completely before wrapping; warm meat melts the butter in the pastry and makes it soggy.
• Cook the mushrooms until dry, so their moisture doesn’t steam and soften the pastry from inside.
• Brush the pastry all over with egg-yolk wash for a glossy, deeply golden crust.
• Bake hot and fast, then rest the Wellington before slicing so the juices settle and it cuts cleanly.

Variations

• Spread a thin layer of mustard on the beef before the mushroom layer for extra punch.
• Use a homemade mushroom duxelles in place of pate for a non-liver version.
• Wrap individual tenderloin steaks in pastry for single-serving Wellingtons.