Easy Ground Beef Wellington recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good Beef Wellington? ›

Browning the beef gives it complexity and meaty depth. Tying the tenderloin improves both the appearance of the final dish, and leads to more even cooking. Phyllo provides a moisture barrier, preventing the puff pastry from getting soggy. A double layer of plastic wrap makes it easier to wrap up the tenderloin.

Overcooking: Overcooking the beef or having portions of the pastry get soggy are common issues. To prevent overcooking, it is essential to sear the beef tenderloin quickly before wrapping it in puff pastry. This ensures that the beef remains tender and juicy [3].

Brushing an egg wash on the inside of the pastry can also help form a barrier while it cooks. And last, don't forget to cut diagonal slashes every inch or so down the pastry to allow steam to vent while the Wellington is baking. This will prevent a build up of moisture.

Beef wellington is not an easy dish to prepare with perfection. For starters, getting the tenderloin steak right is a challenge in itself. It has to be tender on the inside but decently firm on the outside, so it doesn't get mushed inside. The pâté and the duxelles are like preparing two individual dishes themselves.

Tenderize the sirloin by pounding with a meat mallet for several minutes (we're trying to simulate a filet here). In a medium-hot pan, sear the steak on all sides, about 30 seconds per side. The steak should still be rare inside at this point. Refrigerate until ready to use again.

You can prepare the Wellington up to 24 hours in advance at this point, but make sure you remove it from the fridge 30-40 minutes before the final bake. Carefully transfer the Beef Wellington to a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven at 425°F/220°C for 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

How do you keep the bottom of Beef Wellington from getting soggy? By adding breadcrumbs to the mushroom mixture like we do in this recipe, the juice from the beef gets soaked up before reaching the bottom layer of your Wellington, leaving the pastry to get nice and crisp for the most satisfying beef Wellington ever.

This moisture typically comes from a combination of the juices that seep out of the tenderloin as it cooks and using mushrooms that are too watery. Excess moisture doesn't make the beef extra juicy. Instead, it prevents the puff pastry from fully crisping up, ultimately causing the crust to get soggy.

Cut 4 (2-inch) vents in top of pastry. Cook's Tip: Use any excess dough to decorate Wellington. Bake in 425°F oven 35 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 135°F for medium rare; 150°F for medium. Transfer Beef Wellington to carving board.

Lower the fat content of your wellington by using filo pastry instead of puff, eliminating butter, a non-stick frying pan to reduce the amount of oil needed, replacing the pate and using herbs and garlic to boost flavour without needing salt.

How far in advance can you prep Beef Wellington? ›

Beef Wellington is a dish that can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and baked from fully chilled.

However, some would argue and recommend an English mustard since beef Wellington is a British recipe. Crepes – Using thin crepes creates a base to place the prosciutto and duxelles on. However, crepes are optional, you'll see many different recipes and some use crepes and some don't.

Traditionally, the dish centers around beef surrounded by pâté, mushrooms and some form of ham that is then wrapped in puff pastry and baked in the oven. The best cut of beef for beef Wellington: We're starting with one of the most tender cuts of beef ever—the tenderloin!

The pastry should be golden brown and brittle when it's ready. You can check the core temperature of the beef with your meat thermometer - for a succulent pink Wellington, it should be 54°C after resting for 10 minutes, so we suggest that you remove it from the oven when it reaches 50°C.

We'll cook the Wellington at 425°F (218°C) to puff the pastry. But we needn't fear that our beef will overcook too quickly because once the pastry is puffed, it literally becomes a coat of insulation for the meat: all those air pockets slow the flow of heat from the outside to the beef and prevent it from scorching.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper so it doesn't stick to the pan (and it makes cleaning easier). Place the desired amount of beef wellington on the lined baking sheet and loosely cover with aluminum foil, which ensures the puff pastry gets crispy without burning.

My husband makes this every year and will prepare everything the day before. Once the beef and duxelles have cooled everything is wrapped and put into the refrigerator for 24 hours or so. I haven't noticed any issues with the pastry being wrapped that long. Egg yolk wash about 10 minutes before going into the oven.

2) The crepes protect the pastry from excess moisture as the beef cooks, and also helps the beef stay joicy and tender once cooked. 3) Be very careful to tightly wrap your beef – the tighter the wrapping, the better the shape, which will result in more even cooking.

A traditional Beef Wellington consists of a beef tenderloin wrapped in layers of pâté, duxelles (a finely chopped mushroom mixture), parma ham, and puff pastry, then baked. Rumor has it that Beef Wellington got its name from Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington, who counted the dish among his favorite recipes.