Bourbon Beef Wellington – A Kentucky twist

Holiday’s, special occasions, and family gatherings are always great excuses to wow your guests with an amazing meal.  This recipe for Beef Wellington with a Kentucky twist is sure to do just that.    We’ve taken a classic and infused it with some southern flavor.  I call it Bourbon Beef Wellington.  I racked my brain for a good long time coming up with that name.

It’s no secret that I love my home state of Kentucky. Bourbon, bluegrass, horse racing, and world-class cured ham, what’s not to love? If I can sneak some bourbon or Kentucky cured ham into a dish, I can’t help myself. If you can’t find any bourbon or a good Kentucky cured ham, bless your heart. You can still use the traditional cognac and parma ham but damn if it wouldn’t be better with a little taste of the Bluegrass.  I’m not sure if Gordon Ramsey would like this riff on the classic Beef Wellington or he would just call me a stupid donkey.  Maybe a little of column “A” and a bit of column “B.”  If you make this Bourbon Beef Wellington recipe tag me on social media @ilovemeatdotcom.  If you make it and want to poke the bear, tag @gordongram

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Bourbon Beef Wellington

Holiday’s, special occasions, and family gatherings are always great excuses to wow your guests with an amazing meal. This recipe for Beef Wellington with a Kentucky twist is sure to do just that.

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 2- pound beef tenderloin
• 3 TBS horseradish mustard
• 2 cups cremini mushrooms
• 5 cloves of peeled garlic
• 2 peeled shallots
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves only
• ¼ cup of good Kentucky Bourbon
• 8-10 thin slices of Kentucky cured ham
• 1 sheet of puff pastry
• 2 eggs yolks for egg wash

Instructions

1. Season 2-pound beef tenderloin with salt and pepper.
2. Sear on high heat until all sides are browned.
3. Brush tenderloin with horseradish mustard while hot and set aside in fridge to cool
4. In a food processor, puree 2 cups of cremini mushrooms along with 5 cloves of peeled garlic, 2 peeled shallots, and 2 sprigs of thyme (leaves only). This is your duxelles.
5. Reduce duxelles on medium heat in a large skillet.
6. Add a healthy splash of good Kentucky bourbon while reducing.
7. Shingle 8 to 10 thin slices of Red Hog Kentucky Ham on a sheet of plastic wrap. Be sure they have some overlap.
8. Spread duxelles over ham in an even thin layer.
9. Place cooled tenderloin on duxelles and slowly wrap using the plastic wrap to help roll and tighten the ingredients and place them back in the fridge.
10. Place a sheet of puff pastry on a floured work surface. Be sure the sheet of puff pastry is slightly larger than the size of your ham shingles.
11. Brush a small amount of egg wash around the corners of the sheet of puff pastry.
12. Remove the plastic wrap from the tenderloin and place it at the bottom of the puff pastry.
13. Roll the tenderloin in the puff pastry pinching the edges as you go. Trim any excess pastry near the ends.
14. Score the puff pastry with a fork or knife to make a decorative pattern.
15. Brush outside with egg wash and sprinkle flakey salt on top.
16. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the tenderloin reaches 115-120 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure and use a thermometer and remember the beef will continue to rise in temperature a few
17. Degrees after you remove it from the oven.

Andrew Armstrong