Is Beef Wellington British or French?

Turkey may be America’s default holiday centerpiece, but there’s a whole world of festive alternatives waiting to be discovered. One of my personal favorites is Beef Wellington — a show-stopping beef tenderloin wrapped snugly in golden puff pastry. Most people think of it as quintessentially British, yet its roots trace back to a classic French dish called Filet de Bœuf en Croûte.

The two recipes are nearly identical, though the French version is traditionally served with (naturally!) a red wine sauce. For Thanksgiving this year, I cooked a version inspired by Paul Bocuse’s recipe. I streamlined the method so it’s very doable at home: sear the beef, brush it with Dijon mustard, then wrap it in prosciutto and a savory mushroom duxelles before rolling it all up in store-bought puff pastry. The hands-on prep took just 30 minutes (plus a short chill), and it baked to perfection in about 45 (see the full recipe).

Serve the roast with ultra-creamy French-style mashed potatoes (yes, with lots of butter) and green beans almondine (simply topped with sliced almonds sautéed in butter), and you've got a French holiday feast that will make you forget turkey altogether.

Want more holiday recipes? How about a French roasted rack of lamb, or a Persian lamb shank, or a Thai-style steamed whole fish with garlic chili sauce? These — and more than 200 other ad-free, kitchen-tested recipes from my cooking classes — are all available on my website. Happy holidays and bon appétit!
 

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