Hello,

Firstly, please bare with me, I know next to nothing about cooking or baking, but I am trying to learn and get better, I can cook a good steak, to my liking anyway, and have done a chocolate bread and butter pudding which was great, but they are both easy.

I am looking to do a beef wellington and just wanted to ask for tips; I have seen a couple of different recepies some say to use different cuts of beef, some say to do lots of small individual portions and some say to do one big one, the big one looks more appealing to me.

So, what cut of meat should I get from the butcher?

Should I cook individual portions or do one big joint?

What type of pate do you prefer? - know very little about pate.

What sides do I do with it? Mash potato seems a bit... meh!

Should I do a sauce with it? what do you like?

Hopefully there are a few of you out there that like to cook a wellington

Thanks a lot

TIm

Not sure what you've read about different cuts of meat but the standard for Wellington is a fillet of beef.

You'd want it big enough for 4 at least, possibly to 6 or 8.

For the average buyer that's going to be expensive.
http://www.donaldrussell.com/centre-...-log-b721.html

I don't mean to be discouraging, but I'm not sure that a Beef Wellington would be my first adventure with pastry - as degsyhufc says, it is usually made with fillet of beef and if things go wrong it can be a very expensive mistake. Personally, I would try some other pastry dishes first, and then when I felt confident dealing with pastry I'd give the Beef Wellington a go. If you wanted to do something slightly different, how about a game pie?

Nothing else but fillet if beef will do.

Do one big one - less fiddly.

Don't use pâté - use a duxelle of mushroom (mushrooms blitzed until fine in a food processor and dry-fried in a pan to dry them out) and cover with thin slices of pancetta.

Use pre-bought puff pastry sheets for ease.

Keep everything cold, i.e. Once you've seared your meat let it go absolutely cold.

Same for mushrooms - cover the beef with them when cold.

Wrap in thin pancetta slices, cover in cling film like a big Christmas cracker and leave in fridge to firm up before putting the pastry round.

Basically Google Gordon Ramsey Beef Wellington - his is a simple recipe with clear instructions.

Serve with potato dauphinoise (Google it).

Sauce - simple red wine and beef stock reduction (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2514/shallot-and-red-wine-sauce)

I absolutely agree with this.

OP, a Wellington must be made with fillet which is a luxury cut for most of us. I'd definitely mess about a bit with pastry dishes before going for a Wellington. Pies are a great way to start, as anfortis suggests. You could try a beef and ale pie perhaps, for which cheap cuts of beef are perfect.

Agreed, I can see it getting very messy, and possibly a ruined evening with a novice attempting an acceptable Wellington. A good steak & ale pie on the other hand is relatively simple, cheap, and for my taste the nicer dish anyway.
First rule when cooking for others is don't try anything you haven't done before, it can, and usually will go wrong. Pick something you've done many times before and one that you KNOW is going to work. You say you can do a decent steak but most people will want it different to you, and then that brings all the hassle of different timings for rare, well done, medium etc. With the pie suggestion 90% can be done in advance and even once it's done it will happily sit in a warm oven if something happens and people are delayed. You want to spend time with your guests, not panicking in the kitchen.

If it was me I'd do;

Steak & Guinness Pie
Baked Garlic Mash or Dauphinoise, maybe Colcannon
Buttered Green Beans

Thanks all for the responses.

I appreciate your honesty! Its nothing particularly special, I am not having a dinner party or anything, just a meal for me and my wife - but we wanted to try things we had never had before, she is doing dessert and starters and I said I'd do mains - she is a very good cook, but I wanted to try it without her; to try and do something nice for her.

If I get really stuck she will be here! I know a butcher who can do me a good deal on a big fillet, for around 45 euro - said there'd be no fat on it and big enough for 4 people, so I'm just gonna try it, who know I may regret, probably will, but its all about the challenge of trying something new

I will actually post a picture of it if people want me too.... even if its crap :P

I have read a lot of things online and on this thread and fairly confident on what I need to do - the only thing I am struggling with is the proscuitto covering and the cling film, I just cant get a mental picture on how to do it, I will try google image it

Thanks guys

If it's just for you and the wife then why not try the individual ones. Obviously it's a different method of preperation but it will be niced sized portions and a lot cheaper.

ETA: Should have really said value for money instead of just cheaper.
It's just that if the fillet serves 4 and there's only two of you then you're going to have leftovers.
I know you wouldn't waste them but a freshly cooked beef wellington medium rare isn't going to be anywhere near as nice reheated the next day.

If it's just the two of you get a piece of fillet half the size of what you were intending.

Re: prosciutto and clingfilm: -

Tear off a large sheet of clingfilm and place it on your work surface.

Then lay out your strips of prosciutto on top of this, overlapping them slightly and make them slightly wider than the piece of fillet.

Spread your cold mushroom mix on top of the prosciutto, almost to the edge of the prosciutto.

Then put your cold beef fillet on top of the mushrooms - in the middle.

Then, using the top edge of clingfilm - roll the prosciutto and mushroom mix over the top of the fillet and roll the whole thing over until the fillet is covered and completely encased in prosciutto.

Then twist the side ends of the clingfilm like a Christmas cracker and tighten the package until you have a firm fat sausage.

There is a video on YouTube of Gordon Ramsey doing it if you get stuck.

There are variations on the Wellington but the traditional is
Beef fillet, mushroom duxelle, crepes, pastry.

Sometimes wilted spinach is added or replaces the crepes.
Sometimes for a more extravagant version you can use cured ham or have a cured ham wrapped fillet of beef instead of using pastry.

For a first attempt though you might want to go for the most basic version. ?

I think the version with prosciutto is easier than one using crêpes.

Prosciutto is easier to work with as it stretches slightly and sticks to itself, as opposed to crêpes which can flap about and fall off.

Thanks all for the advice

Tomorrow is D-Day.... I did look up videos on youtube, finally I can picture what I need to do which is great, Ramsay makes it look easy... but I am guessing I will not find it easy lol

Quick question, puff pastry... will any puff pastry do? just buy frozen or what? will they all generally be big enough, the sheet I mean? Any brand anyone wants to reccommend? I will be going to Tesco... thanks

Will post pictures after

Easiest to work with ALL BUTTER puff pastry sheets.

Tesco do a Finest one (think you'll find it in the chiller cabinet rather than frozen section but ask just in case).

Avoid anything that doesn't say 'all butter' on it because it will contain much less nicer margarine.

Better to use pastry sheets so you don't have to roll them out.

One sheet should be big enough.

Nice one Iggy! I got one in tesco, and chilled too, it was a good size !

So I have done all the prep, it is just in the fridge waiting to go in the oven.

I have a feeling I didnt seal the meat too well, I feckin' burned myself as the pan was quite shallow hahaha but sure listen I know now to use a deeper tan.

The proscuitto went really well, I don;t know if I used too much mushrooms as the bruxelles was a bit thick, and the meat covered in it looks a bit thick, but sure we live and learn. Got the pastry on it just about... i didnt have much cling film on the sides to twist, but got there in the end.

Thanks for your help, I'll get you a picture after

You're very welcome. I wouldn't worry about not sealing the meat very well - it won't make that much difference, if at all.

The best of luck with it. Look forward to seeing the pictures.

Just be sure not to over-cook it - it's too nice a piece of meat to have it well done.

Err on the side of caution and take it out sooner rather than later - and remember to let it rest for a good 15 - 20 mins.

Good luck!!

Brilliant thanks, I will leave it in for 25-30mins at 200c the receipe says

Its all waiting in the fridge ready to go in, wife is using the kitchen to cook the starters at the moment haha!

Will put pics up tonight or tomorrow thanks again

Actually 15 mins rest is ample.

I'm jealous!

Oh god yeah, I'm talking oven time... I couldn't let it sit there for any longer than 15 mins and not eat it :P

Might be too late now but you should let the joint come to room temp before you cook it

Got to be fillet - very expensive but cuts so beautifully.

Here's the one I use:

http://m.cookingchanneltv.com/recipe...in-pastry.html

Thanks all for the input, I went ahead with it, just finished it there now; what I have taken away from the experience is:

Dont use so much oil and use a larger pan.
Go easy on the mustard
Work on my knife carving skills for the design
My cookers 200c isnt 200c lol

and most importantly, if you have a broken hand don't cook a beef wellington

See pictures for results:

http://imgur.com/193rD36,rJjbJp5,Nc6...xFxpo3,daiZijF

Happy valentines day everyone <3

That looks fantastic - I think you cooked the beef perfectly. Very neat as well. Shame about the dropped bit - casualty of war!

I bet you're well chuffed!

Impressive! Hope it tasted as good as it looked.

Re oven temperatures - yeah, every oven I've ever had has run either hot or cold. Invest in an oven thermometer (they are very cheap) so you can check yours and adjust your cooking times accordingly in the future.

That would work for me Scofield!

Meat looks perfect. Well done. You I mean, not meat!

I have to say that is a superb result seeing you haven't done it before. Cooked to perfection. Hope you got your just "reward"!!