Beef Wellington for 50 People generous portions (180–200g) PP

Ingredients

Main beef

• Fillet Steak (200g eye fillet per portion), trimmed and chain removed – approx non trimmed weight 10kg
• English mustard (Colman’s) – 200 g
• Sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper
• Light olive oil or rapeseed oil – 200 ml

Mushroom duxelle (makes ≈ 5 kg finished)

• Button or chestnut mushrooms – 6 kg (very finely chopped or pulsed)
• Shallots, very finely chopped – 1.2 kg
• Garlic cloves, minced – 20
• Fresh thyme leaves – 30 g
• Dry white wine – 500 ml
• Double cream – 400 ml
• Salt & pepper

Crêpes (barrier layer – Gordon’s trick)

• Plain flour – 1 kg
• Free-range eggs – 20
• Whole milk – 2 litres
• Melted butter – 200 g
• Salt – 10 g
• Chopped parsley & chives – 50 g (optional colour)

Pastry & assembly

• All-butter puff pastry (Jus-Rol All Butter or handmade) – 10 × 1 kg blocks (10 kg total)
• Red-wine jus or Madeira sauce – 6–7 litres (made or bought-in premium)

To serve

• Red-wine jus or Madeira sauce – 6–7 litres (made or bought-in premium)
• Seasonal vegetables & dauphinoise/roast potatoes for 50

Method (Step-by-Step – Commercial Kitchen)

1. Prep the beef (day before or early morning)
   • Portion the whole fillet into two equal 4–4.25 kg pieces (easier to sear & handle).
   • Tie neatly with butcher’s twine every 4 cm to keep a perfect cylinder.
   • Season aggressively with salt & pepper.
   • Remove, cool slightly, brush generously all over with English mustard while still warm. Chill uncovered overnight.n per piece).
   • Remove, cool slightly, brush generously all over with English mustard while still warm. Chill uncovered overnight.

1. Make the duxelle (can be done day before)
   • Pulse mushrooms in robo-coupe in batches to fine “rice” texture – do NOT blend to mush.
   • Sweat shallots & garlic in 200 g butter until soft, no colour.
   • Add mushrooms + thyme + seasoning. Cook on high heat, stirring constantly until all moisture evaporates (20–30 min).
   • Deglaze with white wine, reduce to almost dry.
   • Add cream, reduce until thick and spreadable. Taste – should be intensely mushroomy. Cool completely.

1. Make the crêpes (day before or morning)
   • Large batch in ribbon blender or huge bowl: whisk flour, eggs, milk, melted butter, salt & herbs. Rest 30 min.
   • Cook thin 30–35 cm crêpes on large non-stick crêpe pans or flat-top. You need ≈ 20–24 large crêpes. Stack between parchment.

1. Roll the pastry
   • On a lightly floured stainless table, lay 4–5 sheets of cling film overlapping to make a 1.2 m × 1 m sheet.
   • Roll puff pastry on top to approx. 60 cm × 80 cm and 3–4 mm thick (large enough to wrap one 4 kg fillet).

1. Assemble the Wellingtons (2 giant ones)
   • Lay 5–6 crêpes overlapping on the pastry, leaving a border.
   • Spread half the duxelle in an even layer the length and width of the fillet.
   • Place one chilled, mustard-coated fillet in the centre.
   • Use the cling film to roll tightly like a huge sausage roll, encasing the beef completely. Twist ends tightly. Chill 30 min.
   • Remove cling film, egg-wash pastry, fold neatly, egg-wash again. Score lightly with a lattice pattern (chef’s touch). Repeat for second fillet.
   • Rest on trays in blast chiller or fridge minimum 1 hour (or overnight).

1. Cook (timing for medium-rare)
   • Pre-heat deck ovens or convection ovens to 200 °C fan.
   • Place Wellingtons on parchment-lined trays. Insert probe into thickest part.
   • Cook until core reaches 36–38 °C (≈ 55–65 minutes depending on oven).
   • Rest on rack for 25–30 minutes (core will climb to perfect 52–54 °C medium-rare).

1. Carve & serve
   • Remove twine, slice into 2 cm thick slices with a very sharp slicing knife.
   • Serve 1 generous slice per person with red-wine jus, dauphinoise potatoes, buttered Chantenay carrots & fine green beans.

Advance Prep Timeline (Catering Friendly)

• 2 days before: sear beef, make duxelle & crêpes
• 1 day before: assemble & wrap Wellingtons
• Day of event: bake 90 minutes before service, rest 30 min, carve hot

This method consistently delivers the Gordon Ramsay signature — crisp pastry, pink beef, intense mushroom flavour — but scaled perfectly for 50 covers with minimum stress in a professional UK kitchen.

Enjoy the “It’s raw!” compliments turning into stunned silence when they taste it!