Christmas Beef Wellington
About this recipe
Christmas Beef Wellington is a festive twist on the classic dish, perfect for holiday gatherings. Gordon Ramsay's version adds a lighter touch with flavorful ingredients like chestnut mushrooms and parma ham, making it a standout centerpiece for your table.
This recipe emphasizes the importance of searing the beef fillet to lock in flavor, and the use of fresh ingredients ensures a deliciously indulgent experience. Plus, the crisp puff pastry adds a delightful texture to each bite.
Ingredient notes
- 700g of chestnut mushrooms is used for the filling.
- 1 clove of garlic is chopped and added to the mushroom mixture.
- Parma ham is used to wrap the beef, enough to cover it completely.
- Fresh thyme is added to the mushroom mixture to enhance flavor.
Tips from Gordon Ramsay’s video
- Sear the beef fillet in a very hot pan with olive oil to give it color without cooking it through; this adds depth of flavor.
- Cook the mushroom mixture in a hot dry pan to remove excess water and intensify the flavor, which is critical for the success of the Wellington.
- Wrap the beef tightly in cling film after assembling to create a perfect cylinder shape, which helps it cook evenly.
Good to know
- How long should I bake the Beef Wellington?
- Bake in an oven at 200 degrees Celsius for around 35 minutes, depending on how rare you like your beef.
- What can I use instead of English mustard?
- Horseradish is mentioned as a nice alternative to English mustard.
- How long should I let the Wellington rest after baking?
- Let the Wellington rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing to allow the meat to relax and reabsorb its juices.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Gordon Ramsay: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Sear the beef fillet in a very hot pan with olive oil, seasoning it with salt and pepper. Just sear it to give it color, not to cook it through.
- 2
Once seared, remove the beef from the pan and brush it lightly with English mustard. Let it rest.
- 3
In a blender, combine 700g of chestnut mushrooms, 1 chopped clove of garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Blitz until finely chopped.
- 4
Cook the mushroom mixture in a hot dry pan to remove excess water and intensify the flavor. Add fresh thyme and cook until the water is evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool.
- 5
Lay out slices of parma ham overlapping them slightly. Spread the mushroom mixture over the ham, leaving a half-inch border.
- 6
Place the beef on top of the mushroom-covered ham and carefully wrap the ham around the beef, ensuring it is tightly encased.
- 7
Wrap the entire beef and ham in cling film, twisting the ends to create a tight cylinder. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.
- 8
Roll out puff pastry and wrap it around the beef, sealing the edges by trimming excess pastry and twisting the ends together.
- 9
Brush the pastry with egg yolk for a golden color and optionally decorate with a knife.
- 10
Sprinkle salt on the pastry and bake in an oven at 200 degrees Celsius for around 35 minutes, depending on how rare you like your beef.
- 11
Let the Wellington rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The amount of parma ham and puff pastry is inferred based on typical usage for wrapping a beef fillet.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Gordon Ramsay’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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