The Complicated Beef Dish That Will Never Turn Out As Good At Home

Beef Wellington is a showstopping centerpiece of a dish. Its multi-layered complexity and downright deliciousness are probably why the elegant classic is worthy of . But if you'd rather eat beef Wellington in a restaurant than attempt to make it at home, you're not alone.

It's a daunting prospect for several reasons, including the long list of ingredients it demands, the multiple complicated cooking processes, and the precision required to actually assemble the thing. First up, there's a huge amount of pressure to cook the beef tenderloin itself just right — which is an expensive mistake if you don't quite manage it. You can use either a whole tenderloin or a portion of it for the dish, but this luxurious cut is not the most forgiving.



In addition to its large size, tenderloin is incredibly lean. This lack of fat means the meat can easily become dry if overcooked. It's also responsible for the lack of intense flavor compared to robustly beefy alternatives such as the rib cuts — .

However, beef Wellington isn't all about the beef. There are many other elements that make up the dish, such as bronzed buttery pastry and rich, earthy mushroom duxelles, all of which amp up the flavor. Sadly, these components come with their own pitfalls, since the liquidy mushrooms seem determined to make the pastry soggy.

Some versions of beef Wellington have even more additions, such as extra layers of pâté or egg crêpes. No wonder the dish can strike fear into the heart of even the most experienced chefs. Is there an easier way to make beef Wellington? If you still fancy having a go at beef Wellington, but it makes you nervous, then there are some ways to simplify the process.

You may consider , or you may decide the finicky, flaky dough is not worth the effort. If you're in the latter camp, save yourself the time and energy and simply use good quality, buttery store-bought puff pastry for your Wellington. An extremely effective shortcut is to cut the intimidating beef Wellington down to size — literally.

Making individual Wellingtons rather than one large portion for sharing is a great way to show the dish who's boss. It takes much less time to prepare and cook mini versions, and they're easier to assemble. Whereas a large tenderloin will need tying, searing, and chilling to hold its shape before it's wrapped and baked, smaller filets mignon can simply be wrapped in the pastry as they are, though you may wish to first sear them for extra flavor.

If you want to speed up the process even more, you can even make mini beef Wellingtons in the air fryer rather than using the oven. Simply parcel up your seared beef filets with mushroom pâté and Parma ham, and wrap them in before air frying them for around 15 minutes. The whole process should take no longer than half an hour, including prep.

Even better, with mini Wellingtons there's no need to carve at the table like you would with the full-size version — which can be a daunting prospect in itself. Alternatively, of course, you could always just . Recommended.