So, I decided to try out this “welington” thing everyone’s been talking about. I’m not gonna lie, I had no clue what it was at first. But, hey, I’m always up for trying something new, right?
First things first, I needed to figure out what “welington” actually was. I did a little digging. Turns out, it’s some kind of fancy way to cook beef. Okay, I can work with that.
Getting Started
I looked up a few recipes online. Seemed like a lot of steps, to be honest. Lots of fancy ingredients, too, like puff pastry and… duxelles? What even is that?
- Beef tenderloin: Got a nice chunk from the local butcher. Felt kinda expensive, but I was committed.
- Puff pastry: Found some frozen stuff at the grocery store. Hope that’s okay.
- Mushrooms: Uh, yeah, I just grabbed some regular button mushrooms.
- Mustard: Dijon, because it sounded fancy.
- Prosciutto: Thinly sliced, just like the recipe said.
- Egg: For the egg wash, I guess.
The Process
I started by searing the beef. Got a nice crust on it, I think. Then came the…duxelles. I basically chopped up the mushrooms super fine and cooked them with some butter and shallots (which I also had to buy). It smelled pretty good, not gonna lie.
Next, I spread the mustard on the beef, then wrapped it in the prosciutto, and then spread the mushroom mixture all over that. It was getting messy, but I was determined.
Then, the puff pastry. I rolled it out (it was kinda sticky), and wrapped the whole beef thing in it. Sealed it up, brushed it with the egg wash, and popped it in the oven.
The Result
Okay, I’m not gonna pretend it looked perfect. The pastry was a little…uneven. But, it was golden brown, and it smelled amazing.
I sliced it open, and…wow. The beef was cooked perfectly. Medium-rare, just like I like it. And the flavors! The richness of the beef, the saltiness of the prosciutto, the earthiness of the mushrooms…it all just worked.
Was it a lot of work? Yeah. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Would I make it again? Maybe for a special occasion. It’s definitely not an everyday kind of meal. But, hey, I made a Beef Welington, and it was pretty darn good!
