Show Stopping Venison Wellington

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 12/3/21
Venison Wellington
Farmisons
Prep: 35 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1776 Calories
106g Fat
101g Carbs
103g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 1776
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 106g 136%
Saturated Fat 31g 154%
Cholesterol 377mg 126%
Sodium 986mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 101g 37%
Dietary Fiber 8g 28%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 103g
Vitamin C 13mg 66%
Calcium 159mg 12%
Iron 21mg 116%
Potassium 2054mg 44%
*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.)

Everyone knows the classic Beef Wellington, which is perfect for special occasions and a showstopper on the dinner table. This recipe for a classic Wellington comes from renowned chef Jeff Baker at Farmisons & Co. online butcher and heritage meats near Ripon in the U.K. Though this recipe says for two, it’ll do just fine for a table of four, with small appetites, says Jeff.

We swapped out the dry aged beef for a piece of venison which is a beautiful, lean, tasty meat and works so very well in this recipe. The cut of meat is a loin fillet which is off the bone and to make sure it is an even piece to use for the Wellington, is cut from the center of the loin. 

Ingredients

  • 1 (1 to 1 1/4-pound) (550 grams) venison loin, or boneless saddle

  • 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) duck fat or goose fat, massaged into beef

  • 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) Paris brown mushrooms, or other nutty mushroom

  • 2 banana shallots, peeled and diced

  • 1 clove garlic, crushed

  • 10 leaves fresh tarragon, chopped

  • 5 teaspoons (25 milliliters) sherry, or madeira

  • 1/4 cup (25 grams) unsalted butter

  • Sea salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 12 1/4 ounces (350 grams) all-butter puff pastry

  • 2 savory pancakes, approximately 11-inch diameter

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) milk, to mix with egg yolk

Steps to Make It

How to Cook the Duxelle:

  1. Soften the shallots and garlic in 2 teaspoons/10 g butter over gentle heat.

  2. Add the mushrooms, raise the heat, and cook until all the moisture has gone.

  3. Add the sherry and cook until dry once more.

  4. Taste the mixture and season with salt and pepper. 

  5. Add the chopped tarragon and set to one side to cool.

How to Cook the Venison:

  1. Sear the venison in a very hot frying pan, seasoning with salt and pepper until a rich color has formed.

  2. Add the remaining butter and baste the foaming butter over the meat for 3 to 4 minutes.

  3. Remove from pan and chill until the fillet is cold.

Assemble the Wellington:

  1. Roll out the pastry to an oblong approximately 12 inches/30 cm square and 5mm thick, making sure the pastry will wrap around both the meat and the duxelle.

  2. Trim and lay the pancakes onto the pastry, leaving a 4-inch/10 cm pastry edge at top and bottom. Spread a thin layer of duxelle over the pancakes

  3. Position the beef two-thirds of the way up the duxelle. Brush the edges of pastry with the egg and milk mix.

  4. Taking care not to tear the pastry, start at the point nearest to you and fold the parcel over encasing all the filling.  Gently seal the folded edge furthest away from you using the outer side of your small finger

  5. Gently indent into the sealed edge a table fork creating a secure seal. Trim the excess pastry away 1/2-inch/10 mm from the fold.

  6. Carefully score the pastry top with a sharp knife, making sure you don’t go through the pastry and expose the filling.

  7. Brush with the egg and milk mix, place onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven, 365 F/185 C fan for approximately 30 minutes, the pastry should be golden brown and brittle when cooked.

  8. Using a meat thermometer, check the temperature of the beef which should be 130 F/54C after resting for 10 minutes, remove the Wellington from the oven at 122 F/50C if you want a pink beef wellington.

Venison and aged center-cut fillet of beef and other heritage meats can be ordered from Farmisons Online.