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Elk Wellington

This elk wellington recipe is the perfect way to impress your guests this Christmas. With rich elk flavors wrapped in golden puff pastry, it’s a true holiday treat. For a more traditional approach, swap in beef tenderloin for a delicious and equally impressive alternative. Either way, the juicy meat combined with the fragrant duxelles mixture and puffy pastry exterior will make this dish unforgettable.

Level: Easy
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rest Time: 10 minutes
Cook Method: Oven
Oven Temperature: 400°F (205°C)
Doneness Temperature: 120°F (49°C)

Ingredients

  • 1 elk tenderloin (can sub with beef tenderloin)  (cleaned and trimmed)
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 slices prosciutto
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 sheets of puff pastry

For Duxelles:

  • 1 lbs. button mushrooms
  • 2 peeled shallots
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsp salted butter 

Egg Wash:

  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • A pinch of flaked salt
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

  1. Start by seasoning your elk tenderloin with 1 tbsp of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Heat up a cast iron skillet with the remaining oil on high heat—make sure it’s hot enough to sear quickly. Sear each side of the elk for just about a minute per side. Remove from heat and leave it aside to cool.
  2. Now for the duxelles! Add your mushrooms, shallots, and garlic into the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.  In a non-stick pan over medium heat, melt your butter and add in the mushroom mixture, stirring occasionally to cook throughout. Cook it until the mushrooms absorb all the buttery goodness and deepen in color. Once done, let it cool (placing it in the fridge will speed this up).
  3. Lay down a sheet of cling wrap. Layer slices of prosciutto, overlapping them slightly to make a nice base. Spread your duxelles onto the prosciutto evenly, making sure to leave a border of prosciutto untouched. Brush Dijon mustard all over your elk and place it in the center of your duxelles. Using the cling wrap to help you, tightly wrap your elk and set it in the fridge to set.
  4. Now time for the puff pasty. Roll out one sheet of puff pastry and place your wrapped elk into the center. Wrap it snugly, pinching the sides and bottom down to be as flush against the elk as you can. Trim any excess. 
  5. Next, roll out another sheet of puff pastry. Using your lattice roller, cut the pattern into it. Carefully pick up the patterned sheet of puff pastry and stretch it over your puff-wrapped elk, pinching the sides and bottom to seal again.
  6. For the final touch, mix your egg and milk to create an egg wash and then carefully brush it all over your wellington. Sprinkle your salt and thyme on top - get creative with your decorations!
  7. Using the MEATER app, set up your cook and select your target temperature as 120°F (49°C) for "Other." Make sure your MEATER probe is placed in the middle of the wellington. Check out the video below if you’d like to see how we probed it!
  8. Bake the elk wellington at 400°F (205°C) and wait for the app to notify you when it’s done! It should take approximately 18-20 minutes, until the pastry is golden on every side.
  9. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes! Don’t worry, it will still be hot inside! Once the wellington is done resting, the MEATER app will notify you.
  10. Slice and enjoy!