I was talking to my brother on the phone recently, and he started asking me a bunch of questions on how to make Beef Wellington. He had seen a video online and decided he would give it a try. This is very typical in my family; it seems the only reason why half of my family talks to me is for food advice! I am always happy to offer any help I can in order for them to eat a great meal. That’s one of the reasons why I came to teach at The Chopping Block. I like to help people achieve greatness in their home kitchens, and I obviously love talking about food! Well, next thing I know after that phone conversation, I am traveling to the burbs to cook my family Beef Wellington.
For those of you who do not know what Beef Wellington is, let me enlighten you. It is the English version of the French Boeuf en Croute, which translates to beef in bread or pastry. It is a rich and luxurious dish that may be time consuming to make but in the end is so very worth it! It also contains a lot of different cooking techniques, so it's a great dish to practice your skills.
The traditional components that make up Beef Wellington are:
Beef tenderloin that has been cut into medallions and seared (a.k.a. filet mignon)
Pate, usually foie gras, (a.k.a duck liver but I omitted this for my version)
Mushroom duxelle, which is a mixture of minced shallots, garlic, mushrooms and butter sauteed until it resembles a paste
Puff pastry, which is a laminated dough made of primarily butter that when it is baked it puffs up layers of light and flaky goodness
I was quite shocked that my parents had splurged and bought a whole beef tenderloin. It can be pricey, but I would definitely recommend it. That's because the thicker cut steak you have, the less chance you have for overcooking it. The pre-cut steaks tend to be very thin. I seasoned my steaks with salt and pepper and seared them on both sides over high heat. The trick is to get a crust but not cook the filets that much. Remember, they will steam within the puff pastry. I let the steaks cool on a paper towel in order to collect any juices. I don't want my puff pastry to get soggy!
I moved on to my duxelle. I minced shallots, garlic, and mushrooms and sauteed them using the same pan as the steaks until they were dry and crisp. I deglazed the pan with a little white wine and scraped the bottom of the pan. Once the pan was dry, I swirled in some butter, two shakes of worcestershire sauce and a pinch of truffle salt. I put the duxelle on a plate to cool.
Next, I rolled out my puff pastry until it flattened slightly. My parents bought the kind that you can find in any grocer's freezer. Just like with pie dough or any other dough with butter in it you want to keep it as cold as possible when working with it as well as before baking it. The trick is to throw the finished product back in the freezer until the butter solidifies. This will guarantee maximum rise out of the pastry. I cut squares out of my sheet big enough that when the steak was centered there was two inches around.
Next I was ready to assemble! I laid out my puff pastry sheets. Keep in mind that the side that is down on your work surface is going to be the presentation side. In the center of each of the squares, I put a dollop of duxelle. I spread a thin layer of dijon mustard on one side of the steak and put that side down on the mushrooms. Again, I put another dollop of mushroom duxelle on top of the steak. Finally, it is time to wrap this delicious present! I start by taking egg wash and brushing along the edges. This will be the glue that will hold it all together. I folded in the flat sides first and then tightened the corners in the middle to form a point and twisted off the access. I’ll give you a piece of advice: don’t overthink this process! As long as the steak is sealed in the puff pastry and there are no openings, it doesn’t matter what it looks like or how you get there. Remember, this is the bottom and no one is going to see it. Just make sure there isn’t too much excess dough or layers on the bottom otherwise it can get too doughy.
My Beef Wellington is almost done. For the finishing touch, I brush a layer of egg wash all over the pastry and put some decorative pieces on top. I line a sheet tray with foil, put the wellingtons on top and pop them back into the freezer to harden. After about 30 minites, I bake the Beef Wellingtons at 400 degrees until golden brown.
For another classic steak preparation “Steak Au Poivre” check out The Chopping Block's The French Connection cooking class. Or if you just want to learn how to cook a steak properly come to our Steakhouse DIY class. It's one of our most popular cooking classes offered at both Lincoln Square and the Merchandise Mart numerous times throughout the month.
