Beef Wellington

References: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w96vBKFtPok, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgaUUBAm30Q

STEP 1: SALT & SOUS VIDE THE BEEF Salt the beef in advance Weigh your trimmed tenderloin, measure out 1% of its weight in salt (e.g., ~9 g if it’s 900 g). Rub the beef thoroughly with the salt. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours up to 3 days (the longer you wait, the deeper the seasoning). Sous vide at 130°F (55°C) Remove the salted beef from the fridge, keep it wrapped, and place it into a sous vide bag (or vacuum-sealed bag). Cook sous vide at 130°F (55°C) for 3 hours. This ensures an even medium-rare temperature edge to edge. Chill the beef Once the sous vide time is up, chill the beef in an ice bath or let it rest at room temperature briefly, then refrigerate until cold (this helps the next searing/frying step not overcook the interior).

STEP 2: SHALLOW-FRY FOR A CRUST Preheat neutral oil to 400°F (205°C) in a deep pan or pot. Fry the beef for about 60–90 seconds, turning as needed, until a medium-brown crust develops on all sides. Blot and chill Remove the tenderloin, place on paper towels to blot excess oil, then chill again in the fridge to keep it firm.

STEP 3: PREPARE THE DUXELLES Finely chop 1 lb (450 g) of mushrooms, 2 shallots, and (optionally) 1–2 cloves garlic. Sauté in a pan over medium-low heat with a bit of oil or butter. Add herbs (e.g., thyme) and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mixture is fairly dry. You want to evaporate most of the moisture so the pastry doesn’t get soggy. Deglaze with a splash of Madeira (or sherry), continuing to cook until the pan is dry again. Set aside to cool.

STEP 4: PREP & WRAP WITH CURED MEAT + DUXELLES Lay out cured meat slices Arrange overlapping slices of prosciutto (or similar) on parchment paper or plastic wrap. Form a large rectangle wide enough to envelop the tenderloin. Spread duxelles Using an offset spatula, spread the cooled duxelles in an even layer (about ¼ inch / 6 mm thick) over the prosciutto, leaving a small border at the top edge so it can seal. Brush beef with Dijon Remove beef from the fridge. Brush a thin coat of Dijon mustard all over. Roll the beef Place the tenderloin near the lower edge of the prosciutto/duxelles sheet. Use the parchment or plastic wrap to help roll the cured meat around the beef. Keep it tight by rolling and gently pulling back the wrap so the prosciutto seals onto itself. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to form a firm cylinder and refrigerate.

STEP 5: WRAP IN PASTRY Choose your pastry You can use puff pastry (classic) or pâte brisée for a sturdier, easier-to-work-with crust. Roll out the pastry On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a rectangle a couple of inches wider than the meat roll, and long enough to wrap completely. Egg wash & wrap Brush the pastry surface with egg wash. Unwrap the beef roll from the plastic and place it on the pastry. Tightly wrap the pastry around the meat, pinch or trim the ends, and seal any seams with egg wash. Freeze for 1 day to make sure completely frozen.

STEP 6: BAKE AT HIGH HEAT TO COOK CRUST, THEN LOWER Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) (convection, if available). Unwrap & egg wash Remove the Wellington from the freezer/fridge, unwrap, let thaw just enough to soften the pastry (a few minutes if frozen), then apply another light egg wash if needed. Bake until pastry is golden Bake at 150°F or lowest for about 40–55 minutes, or until beef comes up to 105°F.