Beef Wellington is a wonderful dish that can be both impressive and simple to prepare. There has never been a time that seconds have not been requested, so you may want to double this recipe. Serve with a perfect side dish of cheesy scalloped potatoes and you have a complete meal that’s quick to prepare.
YIELD: 5–6 SERVINGS • COOK TIME: 1½ HOURS
CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES
3 large white potatoes
3 large sweet potatoes
1 cup (237 ml) milk
1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
2 tbsp (23 g) dark brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp kosher salt
Pinches of white and black pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
2 cups (241 g) grated sharp cheddar
BEEF WELLINGTON
1 (2½-lb [1-kg]) center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 tbsp (18 g) kosher salt
½ tbsp (3 g) ground black pepper
3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 minced shallot
½ cup (38 g) minced mushrooms
1 tbsp (2 g) dried thyme
1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg yolk, beaten
To make the scalloped potatoes, set your cooker for 350°F (180°C) indirect heat.
Wash, peel and slice the potatoes into ¼-inch (0.6-cm) slices. In a large bowl, add all the remaining ingredients except the cheese and stir until blended. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 12-inch (23 x 30-cm) casserole dish with butter. Place one layer of potatoes across the bottom, and then add about a fourth of the mixture. Sprinkle with one-fourth of the grated cheese. Repeat these layers until all the ingredients are in the casserole, finishing with a layer of cheese. Place the casserole on a rack and cook for about 50 minutes, until tender.
To make the beef Wellington, trim any silver skin from the tenderloin and let it come up to room temperature. Coat the tenderloin with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Set up your cooker for a direct grill at 450°F (230°C). Once the grill is up to temperature, sear the tenderloin on all sides until browned, about 10 minutes total, and then remove and let it cool on a wire rack.
While the tenderloin is resting, place the butter, shallot, mushrooms and thyme in a frying pan and cook on the grill at a reduced temperature of 400°F (200°C) until the shallot and mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, until the wine has reduced. Once cooked, remove and let it cool while bringing the temperature of your cooker back up to 450°F (230°C) with an indirect setup.
On a flat surface, lay out the puff pastry sheet and place the cooked tenderloin in the center. Place the cooled shallot and mushroom mixture on top of the tenderloin, wrap it up with the pastry and seal the edges with the beaten egg. Coat the outside with the rest of the beaten egg.
Place the wrapped tenderloin in a roasting pan and bake with indirect heat at 450°F (230°C) for about 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 125°F (52°C) for rare. Place the cooked Wellington on a cooling rack under foil for about 10 minutes, and then slice it into 1½- to 2-inch (4- to 5-cm) portions to serve.