Author: Thomas Sixt is a chef, food photographer, cookbook author and blogger. Here he shares recipes, answers cooking questions and helps with cooking.
The recipe starts below 🙂 for the sauce, please put the veal stock, red wine and mustard in a saucepan and boil down.
Thicken the sauce later with a finely grated, raw potato to taste:
Add the finely grated potatoes to the boiling sauce, bring to the boil, add more grated potatoes until the sauce thickens as desired.
Season the sauce later with salt, pepper and some port wine and top with cold butter before serving.
Preparation step 2 Halve the shallot and cut into fine cubes.
Prepare beef
Have the butcher trim and clean the meat.
Wash the meat and pat dry.
Wash, trim and chop the mushrooms.
Peel and dice the shallots. Wash and finely chop the parsley.
Preparation step 3 You can prepare small pieces of beef wellington in portions.
Fry beef
Season the beef fillet with salt and pepper and sear briefly on all sides in a pan with the clarified butter.
Chill the meat in the refrigerator.
Alternatively, cut the meat into large cubes to make small patties.
Preparation step 4 Whole and peeled shallots, peeled and diced.
Prepare mushroom filling
For the duxelles, sweat the finely diced shallots and finely chopped mushrooms in the pan.
Preparation step 5 Finely chop or chop the parsley.
Prepare mushroom filling
Allow the vegetable juice to evaporate.
Then season with salt, pepper, parsley and some grated lemon zest and nutmeg and chill.
You can either chop the cold Duxelles finer again or refine them in the food processor.
I personally recommend you to chop it with a knife, that’s for sure.
A creamy and compact mass should form.
Preparation step 6 beef Wellington, classically prepared in puff pastry with mushroom filling.
Prepare Beef Wellington
Lay the rolled out puff pastry on a clean cloth and remove a few strips of pastry from the edge for decoration.
Spread half of the filling on the puff pastry the size of the beef tenderloin.
Place the fillet of beef on top of the filling and spread the rest of the filling over the fillet of beef.
Wrap the fillet in the puff pastry, putting the seam down.
Brush the prepared strips of dough with egg yolk and use them to decorate the wrapped fillet in puff pastry.
After decorating, brush the outside of the puff pastry with the remaining egg yolk.
Bake the Beef Wellington in a preheated oven at 220°C for ten minutes, then reduce the temperature to 190°C and bake for about 30 minutes, depending on the size and the desired degree of doneness.
Leave the Beef Wellington to rest in the switched-off oven for about 15 minutes, then cut into slices about 2 cm thick and arrange on preheated plates.
A notice:
The little patties only take 10-12 minutes to cook!
3. Prepare Mushroom Filling, Duxelles, for Beef Wellington
Duxelles is a spicy mushroom farce made from very finely chopped, fried mushrooms.
–> You can use mushrooms, porcini mushrooms or chanterelles
–> Clean the mushrooms, chop finely and fry vigorously in a pan with clarified butter.
–> The mushroom juice is either squeezed out or evaporated during cooking.
–> Season the mushroom mixture with freshly chopped parsley, some garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste.
Filet Wellington, classically prepared in puff pastry with mushroom filling.
4. Buy Meat for Filet Wellington
You need a piece of beef fillet of even thickness.
The meat then cooks evenly and has the right degree of doneness throughout.
A center piece of beef tenderloin is ideal.
The preparation as a whole is only worthwhile for four or more people.
Season the meat with salt and pepper, then sear briefly on all sides, then allow to cool and then wrap in the puff pastry with the prepared duxelles…
TIP: Prepare Beef Wellington in portions like queen patties. Ideal for two people and when guests come. You can then cook the meat for Aunt Helga!
Recommends chef Thomas Sixt
I like to prepare my Wellington in portions.
To do this, I cut the beef tenderloin into large cubes, sear them briefly, then make small puff pastry patties the size of queen patties.
I think that’s the better option for at home, you can also influence the degree of doneness of the individual portion and serve the individual portions tenderly pink or almost done, depending on your taste.
You can prepare small pieces of beef fillet in portions as Filet Wellington.
5. Prepare the Sauce for the Beef Wellington
Filet Wellington needs a fine, good sauce 🙂 I use homemade veal stock or purchased veal stock, red wine, Dijon mustard, port wine and butter as the basis.
I greatly reduce the ingredients of the sauce (boiling down to gain flavor), resulting in a powerfully flavored sauce that harmonizes perfectly with the beef fillet, the mushrooms and the puff pastry.
Veal stock is passed through a sieve. I rarely use the strainer. Step just before boiling down the veal jus.
Veal stock is passed through a sieve. I only use the straining cloth shortly before boiling down the veal jus.
Veal stock is the basis for a fantastic sauce for Filet Wellington. Port wine gives the decisive taste kick.
Cooking sauces with chef Thomas Sixt
6. Fillet Wellington Cooking Chart
A roast thermometer is helpful for precise preparation. At best, get yourself a digital needle thermometer. You can use this to check the temperature of the meat by piercing it.
The following table helps to determine the correct cooking point.
Below you can write to me directly. Please don’t forget the star rating on the recipe, 5 stars means you liked it!
Great recipe!
Reply
Thanks!
Reply
Portions of Wellington is a brilliant idea. Cooking with you is stress free… Thank you!
Reply
Hi Peter,
I'm happy if you like the idea. I wish you continued success,
Greetings Thomas
Reply
Hello Chef Thomas,
I tried the fillet once at the weekend because I'm expecting guests in 3 weeks.
Unfortunately, the high-quality meat was already cooked through despite the exact time and temperature (top/bottom heat) I kept.
I had a thicker starter piece of 800 grams somewhat disappointed.
The thermometer brought in before the rest phase also showed a much too high temperature.
Doesn't it make sense to cook on a low level?
Greetings Karen
Reply
Hello Karen,
thank you for your query.
But this is also a difficult recipe 🙂 Possible sources of error:
1. Sear the meat: – Sear the meat very briefly on all sides at high heat and immediately cool. – Pan hot, oil in the pan, put the meat, quickly sear on all sides. – The meat is still completely raw after roasting, just slightly browned all over.
let the meat cool down!
2. Allow the mushroom mass to cool: – Prepare the mushroom mass and then chill. – Please process Duxelles cold
3. Bake the puff pastry: – You need the high initial temperature so that the puff pastry bakes well. – Otherwise the fat will separate and the dough will not bake nicely. – Unfortunately, this is wrong in most recipes, because almost all of them buy stock photos
🙂 Preparation of a large fillet of Wellington: –> Preheat the oven to 220°C (428°F) – Hot air setting –> Insert the cold, wrapped Wellington that has been brushed with egg yolk in the middle.
–> Reduce the temperature after 8-10 minutes to 200°C (392°F)
–> Measure the temperature after 20 minutes.
Cooking tip: Make the Fillet Wellington in portions:
– Fillet cubes of about 4 cm – Take with tongs and sauté briefly – Allow to cool – Wrap and coat – Do the first test, put a piece in the oven – Adjust the time exactly and work exactly towards the desired result.
Every oven is different. The selected dish requires a lot of practice for perfect 🙂
Kind regards Thomas
Reply
Hi Thomas,
THX for this great tutorial with new idea!
we have just made a small version of the classic based on your recipe and we are thrilled.
The idea of making Beef Wellington in portions is extremely practical and a great relief.
If you haven't tried it yet, you should do so quickly.
Perfect guide. ***** Greetings Cora
Reply
Hello Cora,
Enthusiasm also helps with washing dishes 🙂
Thanks for the praise for the Wellington Minis.
Kind regards Thomas
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Hello Mr. Sixt,
believe me, I may have searched the internet until I found a suitable recipe.
But you really have everything. Great praise!
I cooked for the troubled family according to your procedure and it was a success.
Everyone liked it and even my cousin wanted to know where I got the great recipe from.
Take care and I look forward to new recipe suggestions from you on your side, your new fan, Marianne
Reply
Hello Marianne,
🙂
of course I particularly like to read a message like this.
Thank you for the warm feedback.
At this point I can only ask that my web address be passed on and I look forward to further positive exchanges.
Please feel free to contact me with cooking questions, I'm happy to help directly in the kitchen!
Kind regards Thomas
Reply
Hello Thomas, is it baked with O/U heat or with convection. Thank you LZ
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Hello Ludwig,
🙂 🙂
thank you for your query about the optimum stove level.
Top and bottom heat works quite well on the middle rack, I prefer circulating air or hot air.
Starting temperature 220°C then falling temperature range 200°C.
Kind regards Thomas
Reply
Hello Thomas,
I only knew the Wellington as a whole and followed your instructions at the last family dinner and made individual portions.
This is really an excellent idea because it's easier to do and works faster and better when serving.
There was applause because one or the other didn't want the meat to be pink but rather to have it almost done.
This also works wonderfully with the portion method.
The sauce turned out really really great according to your instructions, thank you for the many great tips!
Great recipe!