Gordon Ramsay Style Beef Wellington

Prep and chill

Read through once before you start. Then clear space in your fridge. This recipe rewards planning and punishes improvisation. Respectfully.

1) Sear the beef

1. Pat the tenderloin very dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. When shimmering, sear the tenderloin on all sides (including the ends) until deeply browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Do not cook it through.

3. Transfer to a plate. While still warm, brush all over with Dijon mustard. Let it cool briefly 10 to 15 minutes, then refrigerate while you make the duxelles.

2) Make the duxelles

1. Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped. You want tiny bits, not puree.

2. Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook 2 minutes. Add garlic and thyme, cook 30 seconds.

3. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until they release liquid, then keep going until the pan looks dry and the mixture becomes a thick paste, 12 to 18 minutes.

   Visual cue: You should see little to no steam, and when you stir, the mixture should hold together and leave the pan mostly clean instead of weeping liquid.

4. If using wine, add it once the mushrooms have given up their moisture, then cook until completely dry again.

5. Spread the duxelles on a plate to cool completely. Refrigerate to speed this up.

3) Wrap with prosciutto

1. Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on your counter. Overlap prosciutto slices into a rectangle, slightly wider than your tenderloin.

2. Spread the cooled duxelles evenly over the prosciutto, leaving a small border at the top edge.

3. Place the chilled beef at the bottom edge. Use the plastic wrap to roll it up tightly, like a sushi roll. Twist the ends to tighten.

4. Refrigerate the roll for 20 to 30 minutes until firm. This step makes the next step about 10 times easier.

4) Wrap in puff pastry

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

2. Make one big sheet: lay the two puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface, overlapping them by about 1 inch. Press the seam to seal, then roll it into one rectangle.

3. Roll pastry to roughly 1/8-inch thick (about the thickness of two stacked quarters), large enough to wrap the beef with some overlap.

4. Unwrap the beef from plastic. Place it seam-side down near the bottom of the pastry.

5. Brush pastry edges with egg wash, then roll the pastry up and over the beef, sealing the seam. Fold the ends like wrapping a present, then seal with egg wash.

6. Optional but helpful: Trim any major excess pastry before you fully seal, especially at the seam and ends. Too much overlap can create a thick spot that stays a little underbaked.

7. Flip seam-side down onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush all over with egg wash. If you want, lightly score the top with shallow diagonal lines (do not cut through) and poke 2 to 3 small steam vents. Sprinkle lightly with flaky salt if using.

8. Chill the pastry-wrapped Wellington for 15 minutes if your kitchen is warm or the pastry feels soft. Cold pastry puffs better.

5) Bake to temp

1. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes to kick-start puff and browning.

2. Reduce oven to 400°F and continue baking 20 to 30 minutes, or until the center hits your target temperature.

3. Start checking at about the 20-minute mark after you lower the heat. If your tenderloin is thicker than about 2 1/2 inches or went into the oven very cold, it may take longer.

4. For medium-rare, pull at 125°F to 130°F. Insert the thermometer into the center from the side so you do not pierce the top pastry. If the pastry is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil near the end.

5. Rest on the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. This keeps the juices in the beef instead of on your cutting board.

6) Slice and serve

1. Use a sharp serrated knife for clean pastry slices, or a very sharp chef’s knife with gentle sawing.

2. Serve as-is or with a quick pan sauce.

Quick sauce

Simmer beef broth and red wine until reduced by about half. Whisk in Dijon, then finish with butter off heat. Spoon next to each slice like you are trying to impress someone, including yourself.