An indulgent dish, Alton Brown's beef Wellington recipe is a juicy beef tenderloin wrapped in flaky puff pastry with foie gras, mushrooms and thyme.

Course: Mains

Keyword: Beef, Beef Wellington, Beef Wellington Recipe, British, Christmas, Entertaining, Holidays, Meats

Beef Wellington

Name: Beef Wellington
Prep time: 50 min
Total time: 155 min
Ingredients: 1 pound white button mushrooms; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1/4 cup finely chopped onions or shallots; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon dry sherry; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 3 ounces pate de foie gras; 2 pounds center-cut tenderloin of beef or chateaubriand, chilled in freezer for 20 minutes; 1 (16- to 17-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed; Flour for rolling out pastry; 1 large egg; 1 tablespoon water

Foie gras beef wellington sliced on a butcher block cutting board.

ACTIVE TIME: 50

TOTAL TIME: 2 35

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Pretty much the only beef Wellington recipe you’ll ever need. The love story between mushrooms and beef is a tale as old as thyme, but throw sherry and foie gras into the mix and now it's a party ... one that your friends will be very grateful you invited them to.

This recipe first appeared on altonbrown.com.

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Software

1 pound white button mushrooms
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onions or shallots
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 ounces pate de foie gras
2 pounds center-cut tenderloin of beef or chateaubriand, chilled in freezer for 20 minutes
1 (16- to 17-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
Flour for rolling out pastry
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water

Specialized Hardware

Food processor

Digital instant-read thermometer

ACTIVE TIME: 50

TOTAL TIME: 2 35

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Procedure

Place mushrooms in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. Transfer the mushrooms to a clean cotton towel, gather up the edges, and twist to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Melt the butter in a 10 inch saute pan set over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms appear dry and are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry and thyme and cook, continuing to stir, until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using or store for up to 1 week.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400ºF.
Combine the mushroom mixture and the foie gras in a small mixing bowl. Spread the mixture on all sides of the tenderloin, covering completely.
Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl and set aside.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to 1/4-inch thickness and into an approximately 12-by-10-inch rectangle. Place the tenderloin in the center of the dough and gently pull up the sides to completely encase the meat. Fold the edges together, brush lightly with the egg wash and press to seal. Trim off any excess dough. Place the entire package, seam side down, on a parchment-lined half-sheet pan and brush all over with the egg wash. Cut 4 to 5 small holes on the top of the pastry for steam to escape. Bake until the crust is golden and the internal temperature of the meat reaches 125 to 130ºF for medium rare, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest, uncovered for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.