Once you snag your perfect center-cut, you can’t just slap it in pastry. You need to sear it first, and not just for flavor.
Searing creates a crust that acts as a barrier, keeping the juices inside during the oven bake. Skip this step, and you’ll have a sad, weepy Wellington.
Let the meat rest after searing. Pat it dry with paper towels—seriously, dry meat is happy meat—because moisture is the enemy of crispy pastry.
The Duxelles Trap
You’ll also cover the beef in duxelles (a fancy mushroom paste). This isn’t just decoration; it’s a moisture shield.
You must cook the duxelles until it’s bone dry. Any leftover water from the mushrooms will turn your pastry into papier-mâché.
Trust me, you don’t want a Wellington that makes a squishing sound when you cut it. That’s the sound of your dinner party dreams dying.
