How to Make Venison Wellington
Restaurant-level venison Wellington at home. Properly prepped backstrap, Dijon, duxelles, prosciutto, and a crisp pastry crust.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 venison backstrap, (center cut and at least 5 inches long)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil (for searing)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (for brushing)
- 10-12 thin slices prosciutto
- 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed and rolled to about 1/8 inch)
- 2 egg yolks beaten with 1 tsp water (for egg wash)
- Flaky salt (for finishing)
For the Mushroom Duxelles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 4 cups finely chopped mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 425℉
Tie, Season and Sear the Venison
- Trim and tie the loin into a uniform cylinder using butcher's twine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sear hot and fast on all sides, including ends, 45-60 seconds per side. Transfer to a rack, cut off twine, brush with Dijon, and chill 10 minutes.
Make the Duxelles
- Place a pan over medium heat and add the cooking oil. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the mushrooms and rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook the duxelles until it is dry and all the moisture has evaporated. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
Assemble the Wellington
- On a sheet of plastic wrap, shingle prosciutto in a rectangular shape. Gently and evenly spread the duxelles on top of the prosciutto.
- Place the venison on the bottom half of the duxelles. Use the plastic wrap to help you roll into a tight cylinder. Twist ends to compress. Place in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the venison.
- Place the puff pastry onto a clean sheet of plastic wrap vertically. Place the venison on the bottom half of the pastry. Use the plastic wrap to help roll and form a tight cylinder. Unroll the plastic wrap while leaving the wellington on top of the plastic. Crimp the ends of the pastry and tuck any overhang underneath. Roll tightly once again with the plastic wrap and secure the ends. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Remove the Wellington from the plastic wrap and place it onto a sheet pan fitted with parchment paper. Lightly brush with the egg wash. Gently score the pastry with the back of a knife for decoration. Be sure not to puncture the pastry.
Bake
- Place on the center rack of your oven and bake at 425℉ to an internal temperature between 120-125℉. This will take between 18 and 30 minutes, depending on the size of the backstrap.
- Remove from the oven and rest 10-15 minutes on a rack or cutting board. Slice into 1 1/2 inch rounds.
NOTES
Resting After Cooking:
- Monitor the internal temperature during the resting period. Since venison loins are much smaller than beef tenderloins, residual heat inside the pastry can quickly push them past your desired doneness.
- Refrigerate slices in an airtight container up to 2 days.
- Oven only - on a wire rack set over a sheet pan at 300 F until just warm, around 8 minutes for thick slices. Avoid the microwave so the pastry stays crisp.
- Cut - Backstrap is ideal. Top round or bottom round work when trimmed and tied to a uniform cylinder.
- Prosciutto - Serrano or shaved country ham works.
- Mushrooms - I prefer button or cremini.
- Mustard - Dijon or English mustard works great.
- Keep sides simple so the slice stays the star. Roasted potatoes, buttered green beans, or a lightly dressed salad.
- After resting, slice and plate immediately so the pastry is warm and crisp.
Make this recipe?Mention @Larry__White or tag #WildGameGourmet!