- All right, so maybe I've been obsessing
over beef Wellington a little bit,
but I'm gonna break down the details
on how to make the perfect beef Wellington.
(upbeat music)
Welcome back to the Test Kitchen here
at Certified Angus Beef.
So I've been working on all the elements
of a beef Wellington,
and trying to figure out the best way to get it done.
Maybe a couple shortcuts,
but really just trying to get it perfect.
So we'll go over all the elements
that really make it what it is.
First is the beef tenderloin.
You want a really quality piece of beef tenderloin.
Nice marbleization because
that's where you're gonna get the flavor.
It's the predominant flavor of this dish
and the rest of it just add to it.
Over that, we've got some Dijon mustard.
Sorry, Gordon Ramsay,
but I'm using Dijon because I prefer it to English mustard.
English mustard's maybe just a little bit better
than yellow mustard.
So we're going to Dijon.
Next, you have the mushroom duxelles.
So I'm using a variety of mushrooms rather
than just one kind.
I kinda want a deep flavor.
So I'm gonna use three different kinds of mushrooms
with some shallot and thyme,
saute that down to make kind of a mushroom pate.
It'll be an extra layer on here.
Then we have the prosciutto.
The reason for the prosciutto is it's a nice salty
and flavorful element,
but it helps to adhere the duxelles to the tenderloin
and makes it a perfect little package.
Finally is the puff pastry,
which is an important element of this dish.
It's gonna rise and create a beautiful flaky crust
that makes it rich and delicious.
And I want to go the extra step
and put this beautiful lattice on top.
That lattice is really what's gonna make it extra impressive
and give you that little extra finishing touch
to the dish.
So let's start with the most important element,
the beef tenderloin.
Here, I've got a couple center cut beef tenderloins,
and I chose this because it's the classic cut for this dish.
But the other reason is they've got a very consistent shape
to 'em, which means they'll cook really nice and evenly.
This one's about a pound and a half.
So that's kinda the ideal size,
about a pound and a half to two pounds.
So this is the one I'm gonna be using for this Wellington.
The first step of this recipe is really a fail safe
for nailing the perfect doneness.
After I season my tenderloin
with a little salt and pepper,
I'm gonna sous vide it.
This will ensure that perfect doneness
and take some of the variables out of the equation.
It also helps to prevent the puff pastry
from getting too soggy.
To seal this up,
I'm gonna use my super cool chambered vacuum sealer,
but you could use any home model
or just a heavy duty zip top bag
with most of the air pressed out.
I'll sous vide the roast at 130 degrees Fahrenheit
for two to two and a half hours to fully cook it.
By pre cooking the roast,
you don't need to worry about hitting the exact doneness
when cooking the puff pastry.
You're just trying to Brown the puff pastry
and rewarm that pre cooked roast.
While that cooks, we'll make the mushroom duxelles.
First, you'll want to quarter the cremini mushrooms
and pulse them in a food processor.
Don't puree them though.
You want some texture to remain.
We'll work in batches
so the food processor isn't overcrowded
and it cuts everything to the size that we're looking for.
Next, we'll run the woody stems from the shiitake mushrooms.
The stems could easily be saved to add to stock,
or maybe even make a sauce with later.
Quarter the shiitakes and pulse the mushrooms
to about the same size as the creminis.
Add those to your creminis and repeat this process
with the oyster mushrooms.
Using three varieties of mushrooms really adds
to the complexity of the duxelles.
Garlic and shallots will go into the food processor
as well to pulse.
Make sure to pulse, and don't just run it on high
without stopping, otherwise, you'll get a watery puree
of alliums which isn't what we're going for.
A rough mince will work just fine for our needs.
To make the duxelles,
we'll add a little oil to a 12 inch skillet
and begin and to lightly saute
the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic over medium heat.
We're not trying to caramelize them,
just cook out most of the water.
Season with salt, pepper and fresh thyme.
The salt well help to bring out the moisture
from the mushrooms,
which is what we're trying to cook out in this process.
When you pull back on the duxelles with a spatula
and you see water sizzling underneath,
this means you need to keep cooking it.
While you cook your duxelles,
some of the mixture may stick to the bottom of the pan
and that's okay.
It won't go to waste.
Once they've lost a good amount of moisture,
deglaze with a little brandy or cognac,
making sure to scrape up anything
that's stuck to the bottom of the pan.
It will evaporate quickly
and the duxelles should be just about ready.
When you push your duxelles to the side of the pan,
you shouldn't see any liquid seeping out.
This is a sign that it's good to go.
Spread the duxelles on a sheet pan or plate,
making sure to flatten into an even layer.
This will help it cool quickly and evaporate more moisture.
Now, place it in the refrigerator, uncovered, until cool.
Now that the tenderloin is fully cooked.
It's time to give it a sear.
You can see that it has lost some moisture in cooking,
which is a result of any cooking method.
The benefit is that now it's not gonna happen
inside the puff pastry and make the bottom crust soggy.
To ensure a good sear, thoroughly pat it dry
with paper towels.
Heat a little canola oil over high heat
and sear the tenderloin on all sides.
This develops a ton of flavor that you'll only get
from a good sear. (pan sizzling)
Make sure it's well seared all over
and don't forget the ends.
Now into the refrigerator
with this beautifully seared tenderloin
and let it cool completely.
Now all of the elements to my Wellington
have been fully chilled.
So I'm gonna start layering the Wellington
with the prosciutto, duxelles.
We'll actually brush it with a little Dijon first
in order to give it a little mustardy tang.
Evenly overlap the prosciutto.
This will help it hold together while rolling.
Spread an even layer of the duxelles
across the prosciutto.
It should be about one eighth
to a quarter inch thick.
I like to give it a quick roll to measure
and make sure that it will totally cover the roast.
Now using the plastic wrap to keep it tight,
I'll roll the tenderloin, working away from me.
Use your fingers to push the roast back into the duxelles
while using your thumbs to roll the plastic forward.
This will help to ensure it's tight with no air pockets.
It's kinda like rolling sushi,
except it's a big piece of beef tenderloin.
To ensure a good, cylindrical shape,
I'll pinch the plastic wrap on both ends
and roll it away from me.
This will ensure a tight wrap
and even shape.
Refrigerate the roast to help it firm up.
This will make it easier to roll on the puff pastry.
Generously flour your workspace
and roll out the puff pastry.
We're targeting about a quarter of an inch thick.
I'm just using store-bought puff pastry.
If you really want to put in the extra work,
you can make your own,
but I think store-bought works just fine.
Estimate the length of the pastry needed
by rolling the tenderloin down the puff pastry
and cut off any of the excess.
I like to cut a little extra off the side
so that the ends don't have an excessive amount of dough.
Here, again, I like to work with plastic wrap.
It helps to tighten the puff pastry around the roast.
Now that the roast has firmed up nicely in the refrigerator,
we'll roll it in the puff pastry.
Place the roast on the side of the pastry closest to you
with the seam up so that after it's rolled,
the seam will be on the bottom of the roast.
Using the plastic to help you, just like before,
roll the roast away from you in the puff pastry.
Make sure to brush the front edge
and both ends with egg wash.
This will act as a glue to seal it shut.
Close up all the ends of the puff pastry with your hands,
then roll it in plastic to help keep it tight
and refrigerate to ensure
that the butter in the puff pastry stays super cold.
Rolling tightly and plastic again will help push out
any air pockets in there.
Flour your work surface once again
and use a second piece of puff pastry to make the lattice.
Roll out the pastry to about a quarter inch thick,
just the same as before.
This step isn't totally necessary,
but it really makes for a dramatic presentation.
If you're gonna go through all this work,
why not go that one extra step?
To make the lattice,
you're gonna need a special tool,
but you can find them at most kitchen supply stores
or pretty easily online.
All you need to do is hold onto the edge of the dough
and press firmly with your lattice cutter
to make the incisions.
Gently spread the pastry apart.
You can also use a paring knife if you need
to help separate the pastry in any of the areas.
Once it's to the size you need, cut off any excess.
The Wellington is chilled
so it's time to give it that final lattice topping.
I like to cook it on a sheet pan lined with a Silpat
or parchment paper.
This will help to keep it from sticking to the pan.
Coat the Wellington in egg wash
in order to adhere the lattice to the exterior
of the pastry.
Make sure to give the pastry a good coating of egg wash,
but you don't need to use so much that it's dripping off.
Lay the lattice on top of the pastry
and gently apply force with your hands
to adhere it to the exterior.
Use the sides of your hands and your pinky fingers
to help tuck the lattice under the pastry.
Take a plastic bench scraper
and cut off any of the excess lattice.
Finally, give it one more good coating of egg wash
to ensure a glossy and beautiful crust.
These extra steps really help to enhance the wow factor
of the final product.
Now bake this in a preheated 425-degree oven for 45 minutes,
rotating the roast 180 degrees halfway through cooking.
You'll wanna remove the roast from the oven
when it hits 90 degrees internally
and let it rest on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
It will continue to cook another 30 degrees
because it's so well-insulated in that pastry.
The wire rack will help keep the bottom
from getting soggy as it rests.
Finally, we get to slice into this roast.
It's important to use a serrated knife
because it'll help keep the crust intact.
Now that's a perfect beef Wellington.
Look at that interior
and that even layer of the mushroom duxelles.
And this is really most important part.
Oh!
I get to eat some.
Okay.
That is so good.
It's crunchy.
Crispy crust,
super rich duxelle.
A little salty from the prosciutto.
Really nicely seasoned.
The doneness is perfect.
Can't go wrong with beef Wellington.
So good.
Thanks for watching.
Remember to like, and subscribe,
and we'll see you next time here
in the Certified Angus Beef Test Kitchen.
(peaceful music)