Pork Wellington

Written by
Gene Gerrard
Los Angeles food writer and personal chef Gene Gerrard shares his years of cooking experience and expertise by leading cooking demos at culinary expos.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Gene Gerrard
Updated 11/05/20
A plate of pork tenderloin Wellington

 LauriPatterson/Getty Images
  • Total: 60 mins
  • Prep: 40 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Refrigerate: 15 mins
  • Servings: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
713 Calories
59g Fat
17g Carbs
28g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 713
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 59g 76%
Saturated Fat 29g 143%
Cholesterol 325mg 108%
Sodium 2424mg 105%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 28g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 86mg 7%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 1017mg 22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Named after the Duke of Wellington, the classic beef Wellington consists of a beef tenderloin cooked in pastry, with a mixture of mushroom duxelles and paté that sits between the meat and pastry. The duke, who led the British army in the battle of Waterloo, was a beef and mushroom enthusiast, and when he was named prime minister, this dish was made and named in his honor. What few people know is that the shape of the finished rolled pastry tries to imitate the upper part of a Wellington boot, or wellies as they're known in the U.K.—the duke provided waterproof boots for his entire army, so the dish also honored such a smart decision.

Our recipe is a take on that famous dish, shaped likewise, equally tasty and juicy, but with a flavorful and juicy pork tenderloin instead, salty and fatty prosciutto to wrap the pork, and a mixture of mushrooms and shallots to encase the loin. A delicate and creamy béarnaise sauce accompanies this meal and adds some creaminess to balance the crunch of the pastry and the earthiness of the meat and mushrooms.

Serve with maple roasted vegetables or a simple green salad.

Ingredients

For the Pork:

  • 1 pork tenderloin (1 to 1.5 pounds)

  • 1 pinch kosher salt

  • 1 pinch black pepper (freshly ground)

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms

  • 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)

  • 1 medium shallot (minced)

  • 1 clove garlic (minced)

  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (chopped)

  • 1/4 cup white wine

  • 10 slices prosciutto

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (thawed)

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons all purpose flour

For Brushing:

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • 1 tablespoon water

For Serving:

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this pork dish is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and cooking.

Brown the Pork

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Season the pork tenderloin with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

  3. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the tenderloin on all sides, turning with tongs to achieve an even color.

  4. Continue browning the tenderloin, frequently turning, until its internal temperature reaches 110 F on an instant-read thermometer or about 8 to 10 minutes.

  5. Transfer the tenderloin to a plate or cutting board and allow to cool.

Make the Mushroom Mixture

  1. Using a food processor, pulse the mushrooms into a fine texture.

  2. In a medium-size skillet, melt the butter and the remaining olive oil.

  3. Add the minced shallot and sauté for 2 minutes.

  4. Stir in the chopped mushrooms, garlic, and thyme and continue to sauté until the mushrooms have exuded most of their liquid.

  5. Using the white wine, deglaze the skillet to allow the caramelized bits to detach from the skillet. Stir well.

  6. Continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are almost dry. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool.

Assemble the Pork and Mushrooms

  1. Place a large rectangle of plastic wrap on a cutting board or another work surface and arrange 5 prosciutto slices on top, tightly close to one another.

  2. Extend each of the five slices of prosciutto in the first layer by overlapping it tip-to-tip with one of the remaining slices to make a "blanket" of prosciutto big enough to wrap the whole tenderloin in.

  3. Evenly spread 1/2 of the mushroom mixture over the prosciutto base.

  4. Lay the pork tenderloin on top of the prosciutto and mushrooms.

  5. Spread the remaining mushrooms over the tenderloin.

  6. Using the plastic wrap as a guide, roll the prosciutto over the tenderloin as if you were rolling a jelly roll.

  7. Seal the plastic wrap tightly and twist the ends to make a compact cylinder. There shouldn't be any pork or mushroom mixture visible. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Assemble the Pork Wellington

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F and have ready a baking sheet. Dust a cutting board or work surface with flour and roll out the puff pastry to a 12x18-inch rectangle.

  2. Beat the egg yolk with the water.

  3. Brush the egg mixture around the pastry edge.

  4. Remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator and unwrap.

  5. Lay the tenderloin on the pastry.

  6. Wrap the pastry tightly around the meat.

  7. Fold and tuck the ends underneath the resulting bundle.

  8. Brush the pastry with the egg wash.

  9. Transfer the Wellington to the baking sheet, seam-side down.

  10. Bake for 20 minutes, turning the baking sheet half-way through. When the pork's internal temperature hits 140 F on an instant-read thermometer, take the Wellington out and let it rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board. The pastry should be an even golden color and flaky all around. If needed, give it 3 to 5 extra minutes.

  11. Warm up the béarnaise sauce over medium-low heat.

  12. Carve the roll into slices and drizzle warm sauce over top.

  13. Serve and enjoy!

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