Beef Wellington is one in every of my favourite dishes for a cocktail party. It may be ready upfront, solely wants a fast end within the oven, and the outcomes are spectacular. This was one of many first technical, high-end dishes I ever mastered, relationship again to a cooking workshop with my first employer in 1997. We ready particular person parts that yr for a DIY Christmas dinner, and I nonetheless use the unique paper recipe from that day. That workshop was a seminal second for my ardour for cooking.
Whereas a complete fillet is spectacular when it first leaves the oven, I typically desire particular person parts. They’re simpler to serve and look a lot cleaner on the plate. Slicing a big Wellington can simply turn out to be messy, though as you’ll be able to see within the picture, I managed a really clear slice this time. Click on right here for the person Beef Wellington recipe.
Though I’ve included sous vide into lots of my recipes, I by no means felt the necessity to use it for Beef Wellington, as my particular person parts at all times got here out completely. Nevertheless, seeing the approach used steadily for complete fillets impressed me to offer it a strive.
There are three essential benefits to this method. The primary is common to sous vide: reaching a uniform, edge-to-edge doneness that’s unattainable to copy in any other case, eradicating any fear about undercooking or overcooking the meat. The second is particular to Beef Wellington. As a result of the meat releases its juices in the course of the sous vide course of, there may be little to no moisture loss when ending the dish within the oven. This ensures the filling and the underside of the pastry is not going to get soggy. The third is the structural integrity of the meat. An entire fillet might be uneven in form, however tying and cooking it sous vide first ensures it units right into a agency, uniform cylinder. This makes the next wrapping with the duxelles and puff pastry a lot simpler than working with a seared fillet that’s nonetheless uncooked inside, because the sous vided meat holds its form completely in the course of the meeting.
I desire making Beef Wellington with selfmade puff pastry, as the flavour is superior to store-bought. Whereas the method takes time, most of it’s idle time whereas the dough rests. In case you do select store-bought puff pastry, guarantee it’s made with actual butter. Click on right here for my recipe for selfmade puff pastry.
There are lots of variations for the filling, but it surely virtually goes with out saying that for this model I’ve caught with the unique recipe I realized in 1997.
Components
Serves 4 to six
- 700 grams (1.5 lbs) beef fillet
- 300 grams (.66 lbs) puff pastry
- 250 grams (.55 lbs) button mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 150 grams (.33 lbs) boiled ham, cubed
- 125 grams (.28 lbs) shallots, roughly chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp bread crumbs
- 2 Tbsp minced contemporary flat leaf parsley
- salt and freshly floor black pepper
- 60 grams (4 1/2 Tbsp) butter, ideally clarified
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
To serve
- steamed haricots verts
- crimson wine sauce, constituted of 500 ml (2 cups) crimson wine, 750 ml (3 cups) beef inventory, 2 shallots, 2 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs contemporary thyme, 2 bay leaves, 2 Tbsp butter; click on right here for a recipe
Directions
Salting the meat earlier than searing and sous vide cooking helps retain juices and enhances the Maillard response, because the salt assists in creating the compounds that develop deeper taste.
Preheat a heavy frying pan, soften 60 grams of clarified butter, and sear the meat fillet on all sides over excessive warmth.
Growing a deep sear is important for taste.
As soon as seared, take away the meat and let it cool to room temperature earlier than putting it within the fridge till fully chilled.
Don’t clear the pan; the fond left behind will present the bottom for the filling.
Add 125 grams of chopped shallots.
Stir over medium warmth till delicate and golden.
Add 250 grams of roughly chopped button mushrooms, 150 grams of cubed ham, and a couple of to three minced cloves of garlic.
Proceed stirring till the mushrooms are cooked via.
Add any juices which have leaked out of the seared beef onto the plate.
Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and a couple of tablespoons of dried breadcrumbs…
… till effectively mixed, then take away from the warmth.
Switch the combination to a meals processor and add 2 tablespoons of minced parsley.
Pulse into a rough puree. That is your duxelles. Enable it to chill fully, first at room temperature after which within the fridge.
As soon as the meat fillet has been chilled fully, tie it with kitchen twine to take care of its form.
Vacuum seal the meat and cook dinner it sous vide for 3 hours at 53°C (127°F) for the uncommon aspect of medium-rare. You may select a better temperature in the event you desire your fillet nearer to medium.
A 3-hour cook dinner time is ample for a diameter of as much as 7.5 cm (3″). To make sure the core reaches the goal temperature, measure the diameter of your fillet and confirm the timing utilizing the desk in this text.
After the sous vide course of, chill the fillet in chilly water whereas it’s nonetheless within the bag; you’ll be able to add ice cubes to hurry this up. The meat must be chilled a minimum of to room temperature, although chilling it fully within the fridge will make the ultimate meeting simpler.
If utilizing selfmade puff pastry or store-bought dough that isn’t but rolled out, roll it out on a floured floor.
To attain an oblong form, roll in diagonal instructions as effectively. The sheet ought to be giant sufficient to wrap across the beef and a layer of duxelles.
Take the meat out of the sous vide bag, take away the kitchen twine, and pat it dry with paper towels.
Place the sheet of puff pastry on a layer of cling movie or a clear tea towel. Unfold the duxelles in a fair layer over the pastry, leaving a 3 cm (1″) border on all sides. Place the fillet on high and roll the pastry and duxelles across the meat, utilizing the cling movie or tea towel like a sushi mat to information the method.
Seal the sides and trim away any extra pastry.
Wrap the Wellington tightly in cling movie and refrigerate till you’re able to bake. The dish might be ready up thus far a day upfront.
To complete, preheat the oven to 225°C (440°F) with out the fan. Combine one egg yolk with a tablespoon of olive oil to create the dorure.
Place the Wellington on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the highest and sides with the combination to make sure a deep golden-brown end. Bake the Wellington for about 20 minutes till the pastry is golden. Because the beef is already cooked, it ought to be prepared as quickly because the crust seems to be excellent. Nevertheless, ovens behave in a different way. If the meat shouldn’t be heat sufficient by the point the pastry browns, take into account a decrease temperature for an extended length subsequent time. Conversely, if the meat overcooks, a better temperature for a shorter time could also be essential. This adjustment assumes the fillet is a constant dimension.
Whereas 20 minutes at 225°C labored effectively in my oven, you could desire utilizing a digital probe thermometer to make sure the middle is correctly warmed. I like to recommend a core temperature between 45°C (113°F) and 50°C (122°F) when eradicating it from the oven. As a result of the meat reached its goal temperature in the course of the sous vide course of, you solely must carry it to serving temperature with out cooking it additional.
Steam or boil the haricots verts whereas the Wellington is within the oven. If boiling, add salt and a pinch of baking soda to the water. The baking soda will brighten the inexperienced of the beans and soften them extra rapidly; 5 or 6 minutes ought to be sufficient for an al dente texture. Drain the beans and toss them with high-quality further virgin olive oil.
Scale back the crimson wine sauce till it reaches a syrupy consistency, and solely then alter the seasoning with salt and freshly floor black pepper.
Slice and serve the Wellington as quickly as attainable after it leaves the oven to make sure it stays sizzling and crispy. As at all times, use preheated plates and ask for assist plating the inexperienced beans when you slice the meat.
Serve the crimson wine sauce subsequent to the Wellington relatively than over it to keep away from making the pastry soggy.
Wine pairing
This French dish pairs exceptionally effectively with a Pomerol or Saint-Emilion, or one other full-bodied Merlot. A mix consisting principally of Merlot with some Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon—whether or not from Bordeaux, California, Bolgheri, or South Africa—can also be a superb alternative. The richness and earthiness of those wines completely complement the burden of the dish and the deep flavors of the mushrooms.
