Make Gordon Ramsay's Famous Beef Wellington on a Budget with Butcher's Secret Cut!

Beef Wellington is a showstopping classic, but it can easily cost upwards of $100 if made with tenderloin and expensive pate. It costs around $25 (for 4 servings) when made with the Teres Major (Petite Tender) cut.

Beef Wellington ranks among the most celebrated dishes, cherished for its flavorful blend of tender beef, umami-rich mushroom duxelles, and flaky pastry. Traditionally, high-cost cuts like beef tenderloin (filet mignon) take center stage, making the dish a luxury. But what if you could whip up this gourmet classic using the budget-friendly Teres Major cut? Any good butcher can tell you this cut can be used in place of the tenderloin, but they won't because they take the Teres Major home. In this blog post, we'll show you how to create a remarkable Beef Wellington that won't empty your wallet while impressing your guests!

Understanding the Teres Major Cut

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the Teres Major cut, also known as "shoulder tender." This hidden gem hails from the chuck area of the cow and offers a fantastic combination of tenderness and flavor. While beef filet can cost upwards of $25 per pound, Teres Major typically ranges from $8 to $12 per pound, making it a much more accessible option. It does need a little work to be ideal for Beef Wellington, however, since it is a little longer and thinner than a filet.

This versatile cut is excellent for roasting, grilling, or, as we're doing today, making Beef Wellington. When cooked properly, it can rival the taste and tenderness of pricier cuts. However, when making Beef Wellington, you need a fairly thick cut so that the pastry will be golden and delicious while the beef remains a lovely medium rare. To solve this problem, double up two teres major pieces and tie them together with butcher's twine or food-grade string. Trim off the very ends as they taper off. This creates a roast that resembles a traditional center-cut tenderloin very closely. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Gordan Ramsay's Beef Wellington on a Budget

No TV chef is more synonymous with Beef Wellington than Gordon Ramsay. On his Hell's Kitchen television series, a young chef often struggles with the Wellington and faces the consequences. But you can avoid all the pitfalls of Wellingtons if you follow this step-by-step guide. The best part is that you'll be able to make this tender and delicious Wellington for a fraction of the cost.

Ingredients You'll Need (Cost $25-30 for 4 servings)

To recreate this budget-friendly version of Beef Wellington, you will ,need the following ingredients:

1.5-2 pound section of Teres Major beef (chuck tenderloin) (Wild Fork Foods, $12)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 -2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, with a dash of soy sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
12 ounces of mushroom of your choice, or mixed mushrooms (button, baby bella, shitake, portobella, etc.), finely chopped (Aldi, $3)
2 shallots, finely minced (local Asian grocery, $0.30)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 oz. of prepared pate (optional)
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, finely chopped (optional)
1-2 sheets of phyllo frozen phyllo douch, thawed
6 slices of prosciutto (Aldi, $3.50)
1 package of puff pastry (Standard puff pastry at Walmart, $5.50, Gourmet Puff Pastry at Whole Foods, $11)
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Flour (for dusting)

Shopping Strategies

Beef

In searching for a Teres Major cut, a great place to start is Wild Fork Foods. They ship

frozen teres major beef (labeled Petite Tender) nationwide cheaply in the U.S and have stores in many major cities in Florida, California, the Midwest, and the Northeastern U.S. Several other online vendors sell this cut at a similar price point. If that isn't an option where you are (hello, Europe, Canada, and UK and wherever you are today, dear reader), ask your butcher for the Teres Major cut. If nothing else, you will impress your butcher!

Puff Pastry

This recipe calls for frozen puff pastry, although you can make your own if you like.

For frozen puff pastry, you really have two choices: the readily available kind made with oils and the gourmet kind made with butter. Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry is available everywhere for $5-$6. It produces a very nice Wellington. Whole Foods sells DuFour, an all-butter version of puff pastry, for $11. The kind you serve is up to you. I personally use and love Pepperidge Farm's pastry, but I used an all-butter version when I took the pictures for this blog. Both work great. Real butter is just heavenly, however. (We miss you, Julia Child)

Prosciutto

You will need 3-4 ounces of prosciutto or Parma ham to make a proper Wellington. Aldi sells a true Italian version for under $4, which comes with six slices. You can find cheap prosciutto at Costco and other warehouse clubs. Try to find a real Italian version, but use thinly cut ham.

Pate

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt on Serious Eats advocates for using foie gras to enhance Beef Wellington and truffles, if you can afford them (which is rare, as they are typically only accessible to high-end restaurants). Many other chefs recommend adding pâté to the mushroom mixture. I found a frozen pâté with truffles for $5, which is more than enough to make this recipe. Wild Fork Foods sells this, although inexpensive pate is available everywhere. I have also made the dish using homemade chicken liver pate, which can be made very inexpensively. Pate or foie gras is optional— your Wellington will be fine without it, but it will be something truly sublime with good pate. If you're feeling particularly fancy, Wild Fork sells humanely produced foie gras from New York for under $10.

Mushrooms and Shallots

Use any type of mushroom you like. On the day I took these photos, I had Baby Bella, white button, and fresh Shitake mushrooms in the refrigerator. I used a mixture and it was amazing. You can get a good result using 12-16 oz. of any common mushroom at Aldi, Walmart, or your local grocery. In my local Aldi, these mushrooms are around $4 per pound. You can use dried mushrooms by soaking them in water and reconstituting them.

Your local Asian grocery is a great place to find inexpensive shallots, as is Sprouts grocery. If you can't find shallots, use finely chopped scallions or green onions instead.

Other Ingredients

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt suggests using a sheet or two of phyllo dough to prevent the meat juices from making the puff pastry soggy. I like this method and its faster than making a crepe and is more effective. You can find frozen phyllo dough everywhere. Thaw enough to get 1-2 sheets and cover them while you are preparing. Return the unused product to the freezer--you will need it at some point if you love baklova!

Kitchen Gear

You really only need a little butcher's twice, a good knife, some plastic wrap, and a meat thermometer to make this recipe. You can cook Wellington on a foil-lined baking sheet or on a rack over a baking pan.

Preparation Steps for Beef Wellington on a Budget

Step 1: Prepare the Beef

Remove the tied beef from the refrigerator. Season the beef generously with sal; add pepper afterward, as it can burn at high heat). Heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides for about 2-3 minutes each, until a golden-brown crust forms. This step enhances the dish’s overall flavor. Remove the beef to a plate and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Mix the Dijon mustard and soy sauce and brush this mixture on all sides of the beef. Don't remove the string yet. Wrap the beef tightly in plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator until it cools completely.

Step 2: Make the Mushroom Duxelles

Using the same skillet, heat two tablespoons of butter in a cast iron or other heavy pan. Add the finely chopped mushrooms and stir until the moisture evaporates, about 5-7 minutes. Add the finely chopped shallots and garlic. Stir a minute or two more. If you are using pate, don't season your mixture yet. If not, salt and pepper the mixture to taste.

If you are using pate, add in 5-6 ounces to the mushroom mixture under medium heat. Stir until the mixture becomes somewhat thick. Remove to a bowl and refrigerate until cool. The mushroom duxelles will add a savory depth, marrying beautifully with the beef.

Step 3: Assemble the Wellington

On a large sheet of plastic wrap, lay out two sheets of phyllo dough. Lay out the prosciutto slices slightly overlapping on the phyllo sheet, as shown. Spread the cooled mushroom duxelles evenly over the prosciutto.

Remove the plastic wrap from the beef, leaving only the center string intact. Place the beef roll at the bottom of the phyllo as shown and wrap it up, using the plastic wrap and phyllo to rotate the beef roll. This is much like wrapping a sushi roll or jelly roll. Wrap it in plastic wrap after rolling and secure tightly. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. I will often put it in the freezer, so the beef is really cold when it goes in the oven, preventing overcooking the beef.

Step 4: Wrap in Puff Pastry

Preheat your oven to 425°F (210°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry sheet until two inches wider than your roll on each side and thin. Beat your egg lightly with a fork and get a pastry brush. Carefully unwrap the beef from the plastic and put at the bottom of the pastry as shown. Brush egg on the area for six inches above the beef. Roll the pastry up an seal edge. Fold the sides of the roll like a present, cutting off the pastry at the bottom of each side, as shown. Seal edges with the beaten egg. Make decorative cuts in the pastry (don't cut all the way through). Put on a foil-lined baking sheet or a rack over a baking sheet. Admire your work. Pat yourself on the back.

Step 5: Bake the Wellington

Sprinkle on flake salt, if you have it, for extra crunchiness on top. Put in a hot oven for at least 30 minutes but no more than 40 minutes or until the pastry turns golden brown and flaky. If you have a meat thermometer, check that the internal temperature of the Teres Major reaches approximately 110°F (45°C) for medium rare. The temperature will continue to go up about 10 degrees as you rest the Wellington.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

It's really important to rest your Wellington because it will have a lot of moisture, and resting keeps the moisture from escaping from the meat, making your pastry soggy. Tenderloin naturally has more juices and flavor than teres major so that some juices will escape. That's okay. It means your meat is moist and delicious.

Letting the Wellington rest will also aid in cutting it. Cut into one-inch slices carefully. Use a very sharp knife with gentle movements to avoid breaking the pastry.

Pair your Wellington with roasted vegetables or a fresh salad for a complete meal. Enjoy the delicious results of your efforts!

Cook Like a Pro Without Spending a Fortune

Cooking gourmet dishes doesn't need to be financially daunting. With the right cuts of meat and a bit of creativity, you can produce restaurant-quality meals right in your kitchen. By using Teres Major in this reinterpretation of Gordon Ramsay’s classic Beef Wellington, you’ll wow your guests and savor a beautiful meal that emphasizes flavor without high costs.

So put on your apron and embark on this culinary adventure! Every great chef starts somewhere, and today is the perfect day to learn. Will this dish become your new go-to for dinner parties?