TENDERLOIN - THE OCCASION RECIPE
Beef Wellington
Tenderloin wrapped in savoury mushroom duxelles, prosciutto and crisp puff pastry. A deliberate centrepiece for holidays and dinners that deserve a little ceremony.
SERVES
6 - 8
PREPARATION
60 minutes + chilling
COOKING
40 - 50 minutes
BEST FOR
Holiday table
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
Ingredients
- 1 centre-cut beef tenderloin, approximately ~1.3 kg
- 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 750 g cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 10–12 thin slices prosciutto
- 500–600 g all-butter puff pastry, chilled
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water
- Flour, for rolling
Working with a natural whole cut
Exact cut weights vary. Adjust seasoning proportionally and use internal temperature—not only time—to guide doneness.
THE METHOD
Cook it with confidence.
Prepare the tenderloin
Pat the beef dry, season with salt and pepper, and tie at intervals so it holds an even shape. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over high heat and sear every surface until deeply browned. Remove the twine, brush the warm beef with Dijon and cool completely.
Cook the duxelles
Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, shallots and thyme. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and the mixture is nearly dry, 15–20 minutes. Season lightly and cool completely.
Wrap and chill
Overlap the prosciutto on a large sheet of food-safe wrap. Spread the duxelles evenly over it, set the tenderloin near one edge and roll tightly into a cylinder. Chill for 30 minutes so the shape sets.
Enclose in pastry
Roll the pastry large enough to surround the beef. Remove the food-safe wrap, place the beef on the pastry, brush the edges with egg wash and seal. Place seam-side down, trim excess pastry, decorate if desired and chill for another 20 minutes.
Bake and rest
Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Brush with egg wash, score the top lightly and bake until the pastry is deeply golden and the centre of the beef reaches 63°C / 145°F on a digital thermometer, approximately 40–50 minutes. Rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing.
MAKE IT YOURS
Prepare the mushroom mixture and sear the tenderloin the day before. Assemble and bake on the day you serve it so the pastry stays crisp.
SERVE IT WITH
Roasted mushrooms, bitter greens and a simple red-wine or beef jus.
Cook by temperature.
Use a clean digital thermometer in the thickest part of the beef. Health Canada lists 63°C / 145°F for medium-rare pieces and whole cuts of beef. Keep raw-meat utensils and plates separate from cooked food.
