Holiday Entertaining with an easy Wagyu Beef Wellington Recipe

You've seen contestants sweat it out on cooking competition shows as they take their beef wellington recipes out of the oven, hoping the filet inside is cooked to the desired doneness. Or you've attempted this recipe yourself, taking care through every step to avoid sogginess.

For these reasons alone, beef wellington remains a highlight of holiday table spreads. And with a slice, diners get a mouthful of delicate, egg-coated puff pastry, tender beef and a mushroom mixture elevating its umami notes. Authentic Wagyu in the picture adds additional tenderness and a deeper umami flavor.

Thinking about adding Wagyu beef to this classic recipe? Try our recipe below for the holiday season.

What Is Beef Wellington?

Traditionally, beef wellington begins with a tenderloin cut surrounded by pate or finely diced mushrooms, known as duxelles, and wrapped in a puff pastry. An optional ingredient, ham or prosciutto infuses it with a tinge of saltiness and helps contain any moisture.

On American menus for over a century, beef wellington is said to have originated in England in 1815 following the Duke of Wellington's victory at Waterloo.

To break down the dish's components:

Duxelles: This blend of mushrooms draws out the beef's inherent umami qualities, resulting in a highly rich and savory dish.
Ham or prosciutto: This ingredient serves two roles. One, it infuses some saltiness into the dish's central umami flavors. Second, you'll wrap it around the tenderloin filet to keep the beef's moisture from seeping into the pastry. This layered method results in a more balanced dish: tender, salty and savory surrounded by mild flakiness.

Wagyu beef brings its world-renowned reputation to this timeless recipe: Even, web-like intramuscular deposits, or marbling, keep the beef moist during cooking, resulting in an ultra-tender texture, buttery flavor and deep, complex yet delicate umami notes. For beef wellington, start with a thick, one-pound tenderloin cut.

The Recipe

Ingredients:

1 lb. thick beef tenderloin, seasoned with salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of savory, English-style yellow mustard
1 lb. of mushrooms
4 thin slices of ham or prosciutto
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
2 large egg yolks, beaten

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Pan-sear your Wagyu filets in a nonstick pan, using the following recommendations.
Remove the Wagyu beef filets from heat and let cool.
Once the beef filets are cool, coat all sides with mustard.
Finely chop or place all mushrooms in a food processor.
Heat a sauté pan on medium-high, and place the mushroom mixture into the pan to cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Once you have cooked out all of the mushrooms' moisture, put the mushrooms in a separate dish to cool.
Wrap the beef in the slices of ham or prosciutto: Lay the ham or prosciutto on plastic wrap or waxed paper first and then wrap around the beef for a tighter hold. Let the wrapped beef sit in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
Lay the thawed puff pastry onto a floured surface. You may need to use a rolling pin to roll it large enough to fully cover the beef.
Remove the plastic from the beef and ham/prosciutto combination, and place the ham/prosciutto-wrapped beef in the middle of the pastry dough.
Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg yolks.
Fully fold the pastry dough around the beef, so that it's surrounded by no more than two layers of dough. Cut off any excess.
Place the wrapped beef on a small plate, seam side downward, and brush it with the egg yolks. After, let it chill in place for five to 10 minutes.
Score the top with a knife.
Place the wrapped beef into a baking dish. Apply more beaten egg yolks if needed. Sprinkle salt on top.
Bake for 20 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry appears golden. Test with a meat thermometer to ensure it's at least rare or medium-rare (125 to 130°F) before serving.
Rest for 10 minutes before slicing into one-inch-thick slices and serving.