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Cross-section of a baked Beef Wellington with pink beef, a dark duxelles layer and golden pastry with a snowflake decoration on a white board with a green rim

Gluten-Free Beef Wellington

Gluten-free Beef Wellington is the ultimate challenge among Sunday roasts: a tender beef fillet wrapped in a savory mushroom mixture (duxelles), prosciutto and crisp gluten-free puff pastry. It looks intimidating, but the secret is less in the cooking than in the patience: everything has to cool between the steps.
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Prep Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: British
Calories: 812
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 800 to 1000 g beef fillet center-cut tenderloin, 1.8 to 2.2 lb. Must be an evenly thick cylinder, so order it ahead from the butcher. The nutrition estimate uses 900 g, the midpoint
  • salt and black pepper to season the fillet generously. The original recipe gives no amount
  • cooking oil for searing, heated very hot. The original recipe gives no type and no amount; not counted in the nutrition estimate
  • 2 tbsp medium hot mustard 30 ml (about 30 g). I use Thomy medium hot (personal preference). Check the label: English mustard often contains wheat flour, so choose a mustard whose label shows no gluten-containing ingredients
  • 500 g button mushrooms 1.1 lb, for the duxelles; brown ones have more flavor
  • 1 shallot finely chopped. The photo shows a larger heap of chopped shallots, so use more if you like
  • 1 garlic clove finely chopped
  • fresh thyme for the duxelles. The original recipe gives no amount
  • white wine or dry sherry optional, a splash to deglaze the mushrooms. The original recipe gives no amount; check the label for gluten; not counted in the nutrition estimate
  • 6 to 8 prosciutto slices Parma ham, about 100 g (3.5 oz) in total is assumed for the nutrition estimate. It acts as a moisture barrier. Check the label for gluten
  • 2 packs Schär gluten-free puff pastry if unsure, take two packs: how much you need depends on the weight and shape of the fillet. Follow the package directions for thawing. The nutrition estimate assumes 275 g (about 9.7 oz) of pastry actually used
  • 2 egg yolks for brushing, once on the pastry edges and once all over the outside
  • 600 g carrots about 6 to 7 medium, 1.3 lb. Peeled and cut into sticks about 4 to 5 cm (1.5 to 2 in) long
  • 1 tbsp good olive oil or butter 15 ml. Olive oil is the better choice
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary fresh is ideal
  • 60 ml water ¼ cup
  • 1 to 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup 15 to 30 ml, to glaze
  • 1 pinch salt
  • Knorr Soße zu Braten (roast gravy mix) to serve as needed; check the label

Method
 

  1. Season the beef fillet generously all over with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat oil in a pan until it is extremely hot. Sear the fillet on all sides, including the two ends, only briefly and very hard: about 1 minute per side according to the original recipe. (General guidance, not from the original recipe: a cylinder has more than four sides, so work your way around it.)
    Beef fillet searing in a hot pan
  3. The fillet should be browned all around but still raw inside. Take it out of the pan right away.
    Seared beef fillet browned all around in a pan
  4. While it is still hot, brush the fillet all over with a thin layer of the medium hot mustard. Check the label first: the mustard must contain no wheat flour or other gluten-containing ingredients.
    A hand brushing the seared fillet with mustard on a green-rimmed board
  5. Now comes the first golden rule: let the fillet cool completely. The original recipe gives no time. (General guidance: it should feel cold to the touch before it goes near the pastry, otherwise the butter in the pastry melts.)
    Mustard-coated fillet cooling on a plate
  6. Make the duxelles. Chop the mushrooms extremely fine, ideally in a food processor, until they look like soil or fine crumbs.
    Mushrooms chopped to fine crumbs in a food processor
  7. Finely chop the shallot and the garlic clove.
    Finely diced shallots on a cutting board
  8. Cook the mushroom crumbs with the shallot and garlic in a pan, using no oil or only very little. At first the mixture is wet (see the photo).
    Wet mushroom mixture cooking in a pan
  9. Add the thyme and keep cooking until the liquid has evaporated. If you like, deglaze with a splash of white wine or sherry (optional, no amount in the original recipe). Second golden rule: cook the mixture until it is almost completely dry. The original recipe adds that if you think it is dry enough, you should cook it 2 minutes longer. Wet mushrooms mean a soggy pastry bottom.
    Duxelles cooked down almost dry in a pan
  10. Let the duxelles cool completely. The original recipe gives no time.
  11. Spread a large sheet of plastic wrap on the work surface. Lay the prosciutto slices on it, overlapping like roof tiles, to form a rectangle big enough to wrap around the fillet. The prosciutto works as a moisture barrier.
    Prosciutto slices overlapping on a sheet of plastic wrap
  12. Spread the cold duxelles evenly over the prosciutto.
    Duxelles spread over the overlapping prosciutto slices
  13. Place the cold fillet in the middle. Using the plastic wrap, roll the prosciutto tightly around the meat. Twist the ends of the wrap like a candy wrapper to pull the roll really tight. (General guidance: a tight roll holds its shape and leaves no air gaps.)
  14. Chill the roll in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This firms up the shape.
    The tightly wrapped beef roll in plastic wrap chilling on a plate
  15. Roll out the Schär gluten-free puff pastry (follow the package directions for thawing). Take the meat out of the plastic wrap and place it on the pastry. Brush the pastry edges with egg yolk. (If you roll out gluten-free pastry on a surface that has had wheat flour on it, clean the surface and tools first.)
  16. Fold the pastry around the meat. Cut off excess pastry, because too much overlap on the bottom does not cook through. Press the edges together firmly. Wrap the whole thing tightly in plastic wrap again and chill for another 15 to 30 minutes.
  17. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (390 degrees F) top and bottom heat. The original recipe does not mention a fan oven.
  18. Unwrap the Wellington and place it on a baking tray. Brush it all over with egg yolk (general guidance: the yolk gives the golden shine). With the back of a knife, gently score a pattern into the pastry, and do not cut through. (The pastry in the photo is also decorated with snowflake cut-outs, which are not part of the original recipe.)
    Pastry-wrapped Beef Wellington brushed with egg yolk and decorated with snowflake cut-outs
  19. Ready for the oven. In the photo the tray is lined with baking paper (not mentioned in the original recipe), and offcuts of pastry baked beside the Wellington.
    Beef Wellington on a paper-lined baking tray, ready to bake, with pastry offcut spirals beside it
  20. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. The original recipe says a meat thermometer is highly recommended; the photo shows a probe thermometer cable running into the oven.
    Beef Wellington baking in the oven with a probe thermometer cable
  21. About 15 minutes before the Wellington is done, start the carrots. Heat the olive oil or butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the carrot sticks and the fresh rosemary sprigs, then a pinch of salt and the water.
    Carrot sticks with fresh rosemary sprigs in a wide pan before cooking
  22. Cover and cook the carrots over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, until they are nearly tender. Check them with a fork.
  23. Remove the lid, add the honey or maple syrup and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, turning the carrots, until the liquid is reduced to a glaze. Remove the rosemary sprigs and keep the carrots warm.
  24. Take the Wellington out when the core reaches the temperature you like, measured with a thermometer: medium-rare 52 to 57 degrees C (126 to 135 degrees F), medium 60 to 63 degrees C (140 to 145 degrees F). My own preference is the lower end of medium-rare, 52 to 54 degrees C (126 to 129 degrees F). The temperature rises a few degrees while it rests. Safety note: the USDA guideline for whole cuts of beef is 63 degrees C (145 degrees F) with a 3-minute rest, so medium-rare is below that and is not a claim that it is safe. Medium-rare beef is not recommended for pregnant women, small children or people with a weakened immune system; for them cook to the USDA temperature. In the photo the pastry has turned golden.
    Baked golden Beef Wellington on a board
  25. Third golden rule: do not slice it right away. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes, otherwise the juices run out and the meat dries. Then slice and serve.
    Plated slice of Beef Wellington with mashed potatoes and glazed carrots
  26. Serve slices of the Wellington with the Knorr Soße zu Braten (roast gravy mix), the glazed carrots and mashed potatoes (see our recipe for Gluten-Free Mashed Potatoes).

Notes

The three golden rules, from the original recipe. 1. Everything must be cold: never wrap warm meat in puff pastry, because the butter in the pastry melts and the pastry does not rise. 2. Dry mushrooms: if you think they are dry enough, cook them 2 minutes longer, because moisture is the enemy. 3. The rest: never slice right after the oven, rest at least 10 minutes, or the juices run out and the meat dries.
Gluten-free: a classic Beef Wellington uses wheat-based puff pastry. This version uses Schär gluten-free puff pastry; always check the pack. Check the labels of the mustard (English mustard often contains wheat flour), the prosciutto, the thyme, the optional wine or sherry, and the Knorr Soße zu Braten (roast gravy mix). If you roll out gluten-free pastry, use a clean surface and clean tools to avoid cross-contact. No medical claim is made here.
Food safety: choose your doneness by core temperature (see the guide below). My own preference, 52 to 54 degrees C (126 to 129 degrees F) for medium-rare, is below the USDA guideline for whole cuts of beef (63 degrees C / 145 degrees F with a 3-minute rest), so it is not a claim that it is safe. Medium-rare beef is not recommended for pregnant women, small children or people with a weakened immune system; for them cook to the USDA temperature. A thermometer is the only reliable way to know the core temperature.
Doneness guide for beef, core temperature as commonly used by cooks (not an official safety rating). Rare: 49 to 51 degrees C (120 to 124 degrees F). Medium-rare: 52 to 57 degrees C (126 to 135 degrees F). Medium: 60 to 63 degrees C (140 to 145 degrees F). Medium-well: 65 to 68 degrees C (150 to 155 degrees F). Well done: 71 degrees C (160 degrees F) and above. The temperature keeps rising a few degrees while the meat rests, so take it out of the oven slightly below your target. US recommendation: the USDA gives a safe minimum internal temperature of 63 degrees C (145 degrees F), measured with a food thermometer, followed by a 3-minute rest, for whole cuts of beef such as steaks, roasts and tenderloin. Ground beef should reach 71 degrees C (160 degrees F). USDA does not recommend rare or medium-rare beef, particularly for pregnant women, small children, older adults and people with a weakened immune system.
What 'dry' duxelles looks like (general guidance): crumbly and spreadable, without liquid pooling in the pan, as in the photo of the nearly dry mixture.
Why score the pastry (general guidance): the pattern is decorative; the egg yolk wash gives color and shine. Do not cut through the pastry.
Sides: the glazed carrots with rosemary are part of this page; the amounts and times are estimates, so adjust them to taste and to the size of your carrots. The mashed potatoes have their own recipe on this site (Gluten-Free Mashed Potatoes). The sauce and sides are not part of the nutrition estimate.
Nutrition values are an estimate calculated from the ingredient list, not a lab analysis. They cover one of 4 servings of the Wellington only, and depend strongly on the weight and type of the puff pastry (assumed 275 g).