If you are a Beef Lover like I am, and enjoy an explosion of flavors and textures, all in one bite, you’ll love my version of “Beef Wellington” made with a twist that will tantalize your pallet. This is a party entree, that is easy to prepare, made with TLC, that will WOW! your family and guests.
This dish is usually made with a 2 to 2 1/2 pound “Beef Tenderloin” roast, which is quite expensive.
But, through some experimenting, I have discovered that you can substitute an “Eye of the round, or Ribeye roast and still achieve the same deliciousness as a tenderloin and save a little on your grocery bill without sacrificing on flavor or texture.
1- Roast 2 to 2 1/2 Pounds, either Beef Tenderloin, Eye of Round, or Ribeye depending on your budget.
Beef Wellington Ingredients:
1- slab Pepridge Farm or, your favorite brand, Puffed Pastry
12- medium sized whole White Mushrooms (diced)
2- cloves of Garlic (finely diced)
1/2- medium Cooking Onion (finely diced)
3/4 pound Pancetta or, Bacon
1- Whole Egg and some water
NOTE: In between the puffed Pastry and the beef is a stuffing called Duxelles. This can be prepared ahead of time if you like and refrigerated.
This marinade will also work as a tenderizer if you are using Eye of the Round, or Ribeye.
Marinade:
We start by marinading our beef over night, in a Red Wine, or, Brandy marinade. A rule of thumb I always follow when cooking with wine is if you would not drink it, don’t cook with it.
Ingredients: 2-3 cups Red Wine or, Brandy, 1 Carrot (peeled and coursely chopped), 1 medium Onion (peeled and quartered), 3 buds of Garlic (smashed), 1 Bayleaf, 1 T-spoon Black Pepper Corns, 1 Tablespoon of Dijon Mustard, or, Dried Mustard.
Blend all of these ingredients together in a dish or bowl big enough to submerge your beef into. Once blended place your beef into the marinade, cover the container with foil and refrigerate over night. In the morning, turn your beef over in this mixture to permit equal flavoring and put it back into your fridge until you are ready to cook. (minimum 4 hours)
Preheat your large Skillet to a med-high to high heat on your stove top and add a tablespoon full of cooking oil.
Beef Preparation:
Remove your beef from your marinade and dry it off with a paper towel. Wrap your beef with strips of Pancetta so that it is fully wrapped except for the ends (hold in place with a toothpick, and place it in your hot skillet, toothpick side down. Season to taste with Ground Black Pepper Corns, coarse salt, and squeeze off two slices of fresh lemon. The acidity of the lemon cuts the fattiness in the Pancetta and also tenderizes just a little.
Here’s a little trick. When you place it into your hot skillet, place the side of your beef against the side of your skillet. This permits bottom and side to cook at the same time. Cook it for 3 minutes, then turn it over and cook for another 3 minutes. This is done to sear the sides and seal in the natural juices. Remove your beef to a bowl or dish and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
NOTE: Do not throw out the meat juices and drippings for these will be used later to make a gravy.
Get your skillet heated up to a med-high to high heat and put in a tablespoon of butter. Add in to your hot skillet your mushrooms, onion, and garlic, lightly season with salt and black pepper and sweat these out until the mushrooms are soft. Drain off all of the liquid and put your ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate.
Duxelles Preparation:
Final Preparations:Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
On your counter spread out some plastic wrap and give it a dusting of all purpose flour. Take your puff pastry and open it out. Roll your puff pastry until it is about 1/4 inch thick and about 2 inches wider on both sides. Once rolled, brush on your egg wash to cover it.
Get your Beef and your Duxelles from the fridge. Lay your Beef centering it on your puff pastry. Spoon you Dexelles onto the top of your Beef. Using the plastic wrap, Starting from the farthest side, roll your puffed pastry towards you, and continue until everything is fully wrapped. Trim off any excess pastry and crimp the ends and fold them under.
Make slits in the pastry across the top and then brush the entire Wellington with your egg wash covering it entirely top and bottom
Place your Wellington on a flat roasting pan and roast it inside your oven until Pastry is a golden brown and the inside temperature of your beef registers 140 degrees F. on your meat thermometer. Remove it from your oven and let it stand for about 5 minutes. It’s ready to serve. 140 degrees F. will give you a Medium-Rare cut which is what most people like with this dish.
Personally, I prefer a more Rare cut for myself, so I would cook it to an inner temperature of around 130 degrees F, for a “Juicy Rare”.
If you desire a more well-done cut leave it a little longer to cook until you get a temperature of 150 degrees F., but not more.
Pour off any beef juices to be added when making your Wine? sauce/gravy
Reheat the beef juices and drippings in your skillet Add in 1/2 cup of red wine, to de- glaze your pan, mix up 1 tablespoon of flour and add water until flour is a watery mixture and whisk it into your hot drippings. add 3 whole black pepper corns, and continue cooking and whisking this till it reduces down and thickens to a delicious gravy. A clove of Garlic may be added to your gravy mixture but is not necessary, except for taste.
Wine Sauce/Gravy
Serves 4-6 adult servings.
Serving Portions:
[Do not thin slice.]
Serve up at least a 1 inch thick, or thicker portion.
Serve it up with your favorite side dishes of oven roasted, or baked potato, corn on the cob, and veggies, even a tasty salad, or whatever you prefer. During summer I like a creamy Cold Potato Salad.
The beef in this dish will melt in your mouth, and the variety of textures and flavors will drive your tasebuds wild.
***SPECIAL NOTE***
For those reading this who enjoy and have the availability to wild game meat like “Venison” (deer meat) you can substitute the tenderloin with this recipe, but I would suggest using a whiskey instead of wine in the marinade. This will take away some of the strong gamey taste and better tenderize the meat at the same time.