Beef Wellington makes a wonderful centerpiece for a special occasion meal, and convection cooks it perfectly.

The preparation is fairly simple; however, several rounds of chilling are required between each step, so you will need to set aside a fair bit of time for it. The chilling is important because the puff pastry that encases the beef needs to be baked at a high temperature, so the colder the meat, the less chance there is for it to overcook during baking.

It is also crucial not to let the puff pastry get too soft as it thaws, so follow the package directions for the recommended steps for thawing. If the pastry gets too soft, it’s best to refrigerate it for a while before proceeding.  

Wrapping the meat and duxelles mixture in several sheets of phyllo dough before wrapping it in the puff pastry is recommended by many chefs to avoid too much moisture permeating into the puff pastry.  However, separating just a few sheets of phyllo dough without it all getting very soft is not easy so I have also provided instructions for wrapping the beef directly in the puff pastry.  If you decide to skip rolling the meat in phyllo dough make sure your duxelles mixture is very dry and cold.

Beef Wellington is a recipe where planning and organizing your workspace is key to success.

INGREDIENTS

For the beef filet

1 center-cut beef tenderloin trimmed (2.5 - 3lbs)

2 tsp kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Kitchen twine cut into 7 7-8” lengths

For the mushroom duxelles

1 ½ lbs cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and coarsely chopped

2 large shallots, peeled, coarsely chopped

3 tbsp unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped

2 tbsp dry sherry or brandy

Freshly ground pepper

For the pastry

1 14 oz package frozen puff pastry; follow package directions for bringing to room temperature.

6 slices prosciutto

2 sheets frozen phyllo dough, defrosted (optional)

Egg wash

1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp water, beaten until well combined

PREPARATION

Cut a 7” length of twine and tie the tenderloin in the center. Then, continue to tie the beef tightly at 2” intervals on either side. Season the beef with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and set aside to come to room temperature. 

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the oil and butter and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the beef and sear until it is well-browned on all sides, then set it aside on a rimmed baking sheet to cool for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove the twine and brush the tenderloin with the mustard. Place the beef in the refrigerator and chill for at least an hour or up to 4 hours.

First, to prepare the duxelles, pulse the mushrooms and shallots in a food processor until very finely chopped. For even results, this is best done in two batches.  

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the butter, and when it melts, add the chopped mushroom-shallot mixture. Cook the mixture over moderate heat for about 25 minutes until the mushrooms are dry. Then stir in the garlic and parsley and cook over a gentle heat for 2 minutes.

Add the sherry and stir continuously to scrape up any browned bits until the mixture is dry. Add the freshly ground pepper to your taste, spread the duxelles onto a rimmed baking sheet, and chill for 30 - 60 minutes.

Method using phyllo dough: Spread a damp flour sack towel on the work surface. Then, cut 3 pieces of plastic wrap about 7” in length and place them on the towel, overlapping them to make a square about 20”.

Place the two phyllo sheets overlapping by a few inches in the center of the plastic wrap to form a rectangle with the long edge facing you. Lay the prosciutto in two rows over the phyllo dough leaving a ½” border around the edges. 

Gently spread the chilled duxelles over the prosciutto to form an even layer. Place the beef lengthwise over the bottom third of the duxelles and roll up the beef using the plastic wrap as a guide, making sure it stays on the outside of the pastry. Twist the ends to form a tight log, transfer the pastry-wrapped beef to a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Heat the oven in the Convection Bake mode to 400 F/ 205 C and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Gently roll out the puff pastry on a lightly flour-dusted rolling mat to form a 15” 12” rectangle, and lightly brush the top third of the pastry with the prepared egg wash. Gently unwrap the chilled beef and discard the plastic wrap. Lay the phyllo beef lengthwise on the bottom edge of the pastry and roll it up. Place the beef seam side down on the prepared baking pan, gently brush off any excess flour, and brush the pastry all over with the egg wash. 

The pastry can be lightly scored to create a decorative pattern, or you can roll out the trimmings to create a raised pattern. Cut 3 small holes in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape and provide a place to insert the oven meat probe. 

Place the beef in the oven and program the meat probe to reach an internal temperature of 125 F/ 52 C for medium rare. When the internal temperature has been reached, and the crust is golden, remove the beef and let it stand for 15 minutes before slicing.

Method without using phyllo dough

Carefully roll out the puff pastry on a lightly flour-dusted rolling mat to form a 15” 12” rectangle, and lightly brush the top third of the pastry with the prepared egg wash. Lay the prosciutto slices over the lower part of the dough in an overlapping pattern and gently spread the duxelles mixture evenly over the prosciutto.  Place the chilled lengthwise on the bottom edge of the pastry and roll it up.   Place the beef seam side down on the prepared baking pan, gently brush off any excess flour, and brush the pastry all over with the egg wash. 

The pastry can be lightly scored to create a decorative pattern or roll out the trimmings to make a raised pattern. Cut 3 small holes in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape and provide a place to insert the oven meat probe. 

Place the beef in the oven and program the meat probe to reach an internal temperature of 125 F/ 52 C for medium rare. When the internal temperature has been reached, and the crust is golden, remove the beef and let it stand for 15 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6

Note: Beef Wellington can also be baked in the steam oven using the combination Convection/Steam Mode (low humidity if your oven has variable steam settings). Keep in mind that the cooking time will be faster if baked in a smaller cavity oven, so if your steam oven doesn’t have a meat probe, check the internal temperature after 25 minutes of baking time.