How Thick Should Puff Pastry Be for Beef Wellington

beef wellington

December 17, 2018 //Jump To Recipe

This recipe is a collaboration with Beef. It's What's For Dinner, on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.

If ever there was a recipe that is meant to impress, it's Beef Wellington. Beef tenderloin is wrapped in a savory mixture of mushrooms and flaky puff pastry, and the whole thing bakes in the oven to maximum magnificence – and maximum deliciousness (ask my husband, who ate almost half of it in one sitting).

If you want to wow your crowd this holiday season, I highly recommend going for this Beef Wellington recipe. Everyone will be happy and full, and you can claim another victory in the kitchen. Wins all around.

I'm truly excited to be working with Beef. It's What's For Dinner to #BeefUptheHolidays – that is, to bring a delicious beef recipe to the table this holiday season, which is a natural choice for me and my family.

I eat a lot of beef – but I eat it because it's a nutrient-rich and high-quality protein, raised with care and dedication by farmers and ranchers, and it's just downright delicious.

In our house, beef is one of our main go-to choices for protein all year round – we grill it in the summer, roast it in the winter, make it the main of our mainstay taco dinners, the list goes on. My favorite meal is a hamburger and I will always choose a steakhouse for date night. And now that I know how to make Beef Wellington entirely from scratch (as in, entirely – even the puff pastry is homemade here, my friends!), I can add this elevated dish to my list of favorites.

I'll be perfectly honest with you, because we're friends – this recipe is not for the faint of heart. But if you've got gumption and a craving for beef, I'm here to take you the rest of the way. So! A few tips before you get started:

1. Buy a center-cut beef tenderloin for this recipe, and tie it up before searing to make sure it keeps a relatively uniform thickness (see photos). This ensures every slice is cooked to medium rare perfection.
2. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the doneness of the beef. Do not go just by the clock or the color of the pastry. Insert the thermometer into the center of the beef near the end of the recommended cooking time (so, around 25-30 minutes) and leave it there for 15 seconds. Continue cooking the beef if needed until the temperature reads at least 140°F (medium rare is 145°F, and the temperature of the beef will continue to rise 5-15°F after it comes out of the oven).
3. Allow the cooked beef to rest about 15-20 minutes before slicing into it to retain as many of the juices as possible.
4. I've written up a recipe below for a rough puff pastry (that comes together in 15 minutes!), but feel free to use store-bought puff pastry for a convenient shortcut.
5. When cooking down the mushrooms, it is imperative, I repeat, IMPERATIVE, that you cook out all the moisture. The mixture will cook down to about one-third to half its original size when it's done. If any moisture is left, it will leak out of the Wellington, leaving you with a soggy bottom. And nobody likes that situation.
6. Speaking of mushrooms, I used a food processor to mince the mushrooms and onions to the point of almost becoming a paste. This is the perfect amount of mincing to make sure the mushrooms cook down and stick to the beef in the wrapping process. Of course, if you're a knife-wielding wizard, feel free to mince them by hand.

OK! I think I've given you all the tips you need to know for Beef Wellington success – but of course, if you have any more questions, please ask away in the comments. I want you to wow yourself when this dish comes out of the oven, all warm and golden brown and full of beefy goodness. Like, you made that, all by yourself. Be proud! And then dig in.

For more beef recipes and tips, head over to BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.

Print

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For the puff pastry:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 15 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup ice water

For the Beef Wellington:

• 2 1/2 to 3 lb center-cut beef Tenderloin
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup English or Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup minced yellow onion
• 2 lb cremini mushrooms, minced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten

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1. Make the pastry: In a large bowl, mix flour and salt with whisk or fork until combined. Using a pastry blender or two sharp knives, cut cold butter into flour mixture until butter pieces are the size of small peas. Pour in cold water and stir with a fork until mixture just comes together (it'll be pretty rough and shaggy; this is OK).
2. Turn dough onto a well-floured work surface. Gently pat dough into a square. Sprinkle top lightly with flour. Flour a rolling pin and roll out dough to a thin, long rectangle. Fold down top of dough, then fold up bottom of dough, like a business letter; rotate dough 90 degrees. Sprinkle top lightly again with flour, then roll out again to a long, thin rectangle. Fold again like a business letter.
3. Rotate 90 degrees. Repeat rolling, folding and rotating process 6-8 times. Dough will be smooth and have ribbons of butter throughout when it's done. Fold dough into a letter one final time; wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour up to overnight.
4. Make the Beef Wellington: Bring beef Tenderloin to room temperature. If necessary, tie tenderloin into a uniform log shape. Season liberally on all sides with salt and pepper.
5. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot. Add canola oil. Once hot, sear tenderloin on all sides and both ends 3 minutes each until dark brown all around. Transfer to cutting board.
6. Remove ties. While tenderloin is still warm, brush mustard all over meat. Let meat rest while making the mushroom mixture.
7. Heat same skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add butter, mushrooms, onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, 25-30 minutes until all liquid evaporates and mixture cooks down significantly, about one-third to half its original amount. The mixture will be thick and pasty when it's done.
8. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate to cool.
9. Place a large layer of plastic wrap on a clean work surface. Spread cooled mushroom mixture in a rectangle the same length and about twice the width of the tenderloin. Place tenderloin on bottom half of mushroom mixture. Carefully roll up tenderloin in plastic wrap so it is completely encased in mushroom mixture. Seal in plastic wrap and tie ends to hold Wellington's shape.
10. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
11. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; spray with cooking spray.
12. Remove puff pastry from refrigerator. On lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 1/4-inch thick rectangle about 2 inches longer than length of tenderloin, and about twice its width. Carefully unwrap tenderloin onto bottom half of puff pastry, ensuring that mushroom mixture remains intact around tenderloin. Wrap pastry tightly around tenderloin until ends meet. Trim any extra pastry, then pinch seam to seal tightly. Fold over and pinch ends to seal so tenderloin is completely encased in pastry. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
13. Unwrap and place Wellington on prepared baking sheet. Brush all over liberally with beaten eggs, then decorate pastry if desired (with extra pastry, fork tines, a knife, etc.). Sprinkle with salt. Bake 35-40 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of tenderloin reads 140°F. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

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Source: https://www.girlversusdough.com/beef-wellington/

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