Back in 2018, I made Gordon Ramsay’s Beef Wellington and I never ended up posting about it. Why? I didn’t enjoy it. It was disappointing to me and I didn’t understand why I couldn’t enjoy it after so much time being excited for it. This had nothing to do with the recipe itself. (It turned out I had been pregnant and nothing was tasting amazing- go figure). My personal life got unexpectedly quite hectic shortly after and posting about this recipe was far from a priority.
Nearly 7 years later, I think it’s important to post that I had actually made it. No, it didn’t turn out as I had planned. It wasn’t a perfect Beef Wellington and I beat myself up about it (especially because I knew how expensive the cut of meat was). Looking back at the whole situation now, I was too hard on myself. I’m glad that I never stopped cooking but I’ll never forget the feeling of disappointment I had- it was not pleasant. In summary, it’s okay to feel disappointed in recipes now and then. It’s okay to not succeed every single time.
Beef Wellington
Ingredients
2 x 400g Beef Fillets
Olive oil, for frying
500g mixture of Wild Mushrooms, cleaned
1 Sprig of Thyme, leaves only
500g Puff Pastry
8 slices Parma Ham
2 Egg Yolks, beaten with 1 tbsp water and a pinch of salt
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Red Wine Sauce
2 Tbsps Olive Oil
200g Beef Trimmings (ask the butcher to save these when trimming the fillet)
4 Large Shallots, peeled and sliced
12 Black Peppercorns
1 Bay Leaf
1 Thyme Sprig
Splash of Red Wine Vinegar
1 x 750ml Bottle of Red Wine (Or replacement)
750ml Beef Stock
Instructions
Wrap each piece of beef tightly in a triple layer of cling film to set its shape, then chill overnight.
Remove the cling film, then quickly sear the beef fillets in a hot pan with a little olive oil for 30-60 seconds until browned all over and rare in the middle. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
Finely chop the mushrooms and fry in a hot pan with a bit of olive oil, thyme leaves, and seasoning. When the mushrooms begin to release their juices, continue to cook over high heat for about 10 minutes. Or, until all the excess moisture has evaporated and you are left with a mushroom paste. This is known as a duxelle. Remove the duxelle from the pan and leave to cool.
Cut the pastry in half, place on a lightly floured surface, and roll each piece into a rectangle large enough to envelop one of the beef fillets. Chill in the refrigerator.
Lay a large sheet of cling film on a work surface and place 4 slices of Parma ham in the middle, overlapping them slightly, to create a square. Spread half the duxelle evenly over the ham.
Season the beef fillets and place them on top of the mushroom-covered ham. Using the cling film, roll the Parma ham over the beef, then roll and tie the cling film to get a thick log of even thickness. Repeat this step with the other beef fillet and allow them to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Brush the pastry with the egg wash.
Remove the cling film from the beef, then wrap the pastry around each ham-wrapped fillet. Trim the pastry and brush all over with the egg wash. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the red wine sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan, then fry the beef trimmings for a few minutes until browned on all sides. Stir in the shallots with the peppercorns, bay, and thyme. Continue to cook this for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn golden brown.
Pour in the vinegar and let it bubble for a few minutes until almost dry. Add the wine/replacement and boil until almost completely reduced. Add the stock and return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour. Remove any froth from the surface of the sauce, until you have the desired consistency. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth or something similar. Check for seasoning and set aside.
When you are ready to cook the beef wellingtons, score the pastry lightly (this was my favorite part) and brush them with the egg wash again. Bake at 425°F for 35-50 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked. Rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, reheat the sauce. Serve the beef wellingtons sliced, with the sauce as an accompaniment.
Related:
Ramsay Inspired Sausage Meat Bolognese
That was a shame, such a waste of ingredients but it has happened to us all.
Other people enjoyed it so luckily it wasn’t a waste! But yes, it happens to the best of us sometimes. It’s a great way to learn, that’s for sure! Happy almost holidays, Diane!