Casa M Beef Wellington.
Smoke a trimmed tenderloin, wrap it in house-made pastry, and show what you're made of
Smoke a trimmed tenderloin, wrap it in house-made pastry, and show what you're made of
Ingredients
Ingredients
- **FOR THE PUFF PASTRY:**
- 6 ounces bread flour
- 6 ounces all purpose flour
- pinch salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 6 ounces unsalted butter, very cold
- FOR THE BEEF:
- 2-1/2 pound beef tenderloin, center-cut, trimmed
- 1 Tablespoon Casa M Spice Co® Chain Reaction®
- 1 Tablespoon Casa M Spice Co® Cattle Drive®
- 2 pounds mushrooms, chopped finely
- 5 Tablespoons butter, unsalted
- 1-1/2 cup shallots, chopped
- 5 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1-1/4 cup cognac/brandy
- 1-1/4 cup heavy cream
- 5 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Casa M Spice Co® Chain Reaction®
- 1 teaspoon Casa M Spice Co® Uncontrolled Cattle Drive®
- **PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER:**
- 5 Tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 2-1/2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Casa M Spice Co® Chain Reaction®
- 1 sheet of fresh fillo dough
- 2/3 pound prosciutto, paper thin
- 3 eggs, beaten
- Maldon Salt
- 1 bunch chives, minced
Method
-
01
Make puff pastry dough, chill overnight
20 minCan use store-bought frozen puff pastry to skip this and the laminating steps.
-
02
Season and smoke tenderloin at 160°F for 90 min
90 minInternal temp must not exceed 90°F. Refrigerate uncovered overnight after smoking.
-
03
Laminate butter into dough (2 turns), chill 2 hours
30 minRoll, fold butter into dough, do 2 turns, wrap and refrigerate.
-
04
Sauté mushrooms and shallots until liquid evaporates
18 minYou're cooking out moisture here, not just softening — the filling needs to be completely dry or your pastry won't crisp up. When the pan looks almost wet at the start but totally dry at the finish, you're done.
-
05
Deglaze with cognac, add cream, reduce until thick
12 minSeason with spices, cool completely in refrigerator before using.
-
06
Do 2 more turns on puff pastry, roll out large rectangle
20 minRoll to extend 3 inches beyond filet ends. Work quickly to keep pastry cold.
-
07
Layer fillo, prosciutto, mushroom filling on film
8 minWork methodically and keep your layers tight with no air pockets, or steam will blow through your pastry when it bakes. Film underneath keeps everything from sticking, and even overlap on the fillo so nothing unravels.
-
08
Coat tenderloin with horseradish mixture, roll in fillo layer
10 minWrap tightly in film and refrigerate while rolling puff pastry.
-
09
Preheat oven to 425°F
15 minUse 400°F if convection.
-
10
Wrap tenderloin in puff pastry, trim and seal ends
8 minPlace seam-side down on parchment-lined sheet pan.
-
11
Egg wash, score top, sprinkle salt
4 minOne thin, even coat of egg wash gives you that mahogany color — don't puddle it or you'll get dark spots. Score shallow lines across the top for both looks and to help the heat penetrate, then a pinch of fleur de sel brings out the crust.
-
12
Bake until golden and center reaches 115-125°F
35 minTent with foil if pastry browns too quickly. Internal temp will rise 8-10°F during rest.
-
13
Rest Wellington for 10-15 minutes
12 minThis isn't just about temperature — it lets the pastry relax so it won't crack when you cut, and the meat stays hot enough to serve. You should feel the Wellington still warm to the touch but not piping hot.
-
14
Slice ends, carve and plate
5 minA sharp knife and one smooth motion per slice keeps the pastry from shattering and the layers from separating. Plate it cut-side up so people see that perfect pink beef and those golden, crispy layers.
From Mike's Notebook
Smoke the tenderloin to exactly 90°F internal—it'll coast to medium-rare when the pastry hits the oven.
Cool the mushroom dough completely in the fridge or it'll turn your puff pastry into soup.
Keep puff pastry cold between turns and rolling—warm dough won't laminate, just spreads into a greasy mess.