Beef Wellington with Mushroom Duxelles (Printable)

Tender beef wrapped in mushroom duxelles, prosciutto, and flaky golden pastry. A true showstopper for celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2 lb 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, minced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
09 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Assembly

10 - 10 slices prosciutto
11 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 sheet puff pastry (14 oz), thawed if frozen
13 - 1 large egg, beaten for egg wash
14 - Flour for dusting

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Season beef tenderloin with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Sear beef on all sides for 2 minutes per side until browned. Remove and let cool completely.
03 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, sauté for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes until all moisture evaporates and mixture reaches paste-like consistency. Let cool.
04 - Lay plastic wrap on work surface. Arrange prosciutto slices in slightly overlapping layer to form a rectangle just larger than the beef.
05 - Spread cooled mushroom duxelles evenly over the prosciutto layer.
06 - Brush the cooled beef with Dijon mustard. Place beef on the duxelles-covered prosciutto.
07 - Using the plastic wrap, roll prosciutto and mushrooms around the beef into a tight log. Twist ends to seal and chill for 20 minutes.
08 - Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface to a rectangle large enough to fully encase the beef. Unwrap beef from plastic and place in the center of the pastry.
09 - Fold pastry over beef, trimming excess. Seal edges and place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
10 - Brush pastry with beaten egg. Decorate with pastry scraps if desired. Chill for 10 minutes.
11 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the beef reads 120°F for rare or 130°F for medium-rare.
12 - Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent all day cooking when really, you've created something showstopping in under two hours.
  • The combination of buttery puff pastry, earthy mushrooms, and perfectly seared beef feels fancy enough for a celebration but tastes like comfort.
  • Once you nail the technique, you'll reach for this whenever you want to impress without the stress.
02 -
  • The moisture from the mushrooms has to fully evaporate or your pastry will end up soggy and sad, so don't rush that step and don't skip it.
  • That plastic wrap trick for rolling the prosciutto and mushrooms is not just a convenience; it keeps everything intact and prevents the filling from sliding around.
  • Chilling between steps matters more than you'd think; it keeps the pastry from shrinking and the beef from warming up too much before baking.
03 -
  • Quality puff pastry makes a visible difference, so invest in all-butter if you can find it; store-bought is perfectly fine, but the better brands puff higher and taste richer.
  • If you're nervous about the searing step, remember that the beef continues to cook slightly during assembly and baking, so aim for a nice crust rather than worrying about internal color.
  • Some people brush a thin layer of pâté under the mushroom layer for extra depth, and honestly, once you try it that way, you'll never go back.
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