# Less expensive beef wellington?



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I want to make a beef wellington, but I don't want to use a tenderloin cut.  It's too expensive.  Is there a different cut of beef I can use?


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

I think the answer is no, but for practical reasons. Tenderloin is the typical choice because of it's tenderness and ease of cooking to the right temperature when wrapped in the pastry. I think I'd ask a butcher for a cut of beef similar in shape but one you could adjust the timing for to insure the beef is at the correct temperature when the pastry is done. 

Tenderloin is seared before enclosing in the pastry, so a different cut of beef could be pre-cooked to a certain point before wrapping to insure it is at the temp you want it to be when you serve it. As an extreme example, you could enclose a completed pot roast in pastry although you obviously won't be serving it medium rare. So I think it depends on what end result you want.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Perhaps Teres Major would work fine, if you are able to source that piece of meat.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

A pot roast wrapped in pastry sounds awesome! What cut do you use for pot roast?

I've never heard of Teras major


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

Off hand i'd say a chuck roast but I would speak to the butcher first. Names for various cuts and the cuts themselves seem to change on a regular basis so with a bit of description from you a good butcher should be able to provide good suggestions for what you want, whatever they call it these days.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

Does it have to be beef KK? besides the normal salmon or chicken wellington, you could use pork or veal tenderloin. i'm not sure how the price of veal tenderloin compares to beef these days, but using pork tenderloin would certainly be less expensive than either. if you could find kurobuta pork, it would be even more marvelous. i think you could also use a mixture of ground meats...pork, veal and beef, but then it's probably called something else at that point!  

joey


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I got a chuck and tied it up, it looks like a tenderloin no problem. I'm braising it now, will dry it off really iPod and let it cool completely before I package it up in puff pastry. I will serve it with the mushroom and ale liquid I braised it in.


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

trim the big fat chunks/layers out of the chuck.

"fat" absorbs enormously more heat than "lean" - could easily lead to burnt pastry wrap, raw meat . . . .


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Dillbert said:


> raw meat . . . .


The meat is already cooked. Still I agree with removing as much fat as possible before wrapping but simply for taste/presentation reasons.


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Koukouvagia said:


> will dry it off really iPod


Be carephone and remove the case so it doesn't taste too rubbery.


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## ordo (Mar 19, 2009)

FF: Ha, ha!

KK; what, no duxelles?


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Ha spell check! The meat is already cook through in. Braise. I removed a lot of fat but not all of it, fat is yummy!

No duxelles, too lazy. Plus this is an poor mans dish! I wonder how much more I should follow the method of wrapping with prosciutto or basting with mustard. Should I do that?


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

You can even make a meatloaf wellington style


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Koukouvagia said:


> I wonder how much more I should follow the method of wrapping with prosciutto or basting with mustard. Should I do that?


I wouldn't. The crepe, the prosciuto... all those help avoid the meat's juices dripping into the puff pastry and preventing it from cooking properly. I believe (I've never tried braised beef wellington myself) that with properly braised/rested/dried meat juices dripping shouldn't be an issue.

I would suggest you let the braised meat chill in its own braising liquid first, then take it out the liquid when cold, and dry it as best you can before wrapping.

Then it's a matter of tastebuds. Prosciutto and mustard don't sound appealing to me but maybe they do to you. On the other hand mushrooms do sound appealing, if you feel like it you could sautee a few mushrooms, no need to make a duxelle if you don't feel like it I guess. Or you could keep it simple and just serve the braised meet in puff pastry without additives. Make a sauce with the reduced braising liquid and you're golden.

Sounds like a tasty endeavor Kouk. Please let us know how it turns out and if you can, post some pictures!!


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I live me some mustard and prosciutto! How does that not sound good? Anyway I didn't use it for this application, this is more like a deconstructed steak and ale pie reconstructed into a wellie, served with a mushroom gravy.


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

I don't know, I wouldn't want prosciutto or mustard with my braised chuck... I'm sure it'd be good but it would distract from the flavor of the braised beef I guess? then again it depends on how it was braised of course. Hey, ask me another day and I'd have said it sounded good. Sometimes you feel like complex flavors, other times you prefer simple flavors... today I'm in a simple mood I guess.


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## chef xto (Oct 4, 2013)

Just make a pie


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

SOOO ... @Koukouvagia how did your 'poor man's wellie' come out? Any photos? Really curious how it tasted and recieved.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

It was good I will post about it tomorrow when I have more time. Today has been hectic.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

My poor man's wellie turned out pretty good, not without problems but it was a valiant effort and a hearty meal!

I started by prepping my mise en place and tying a chuck roast to look uniform. Seasoned it and seared it.





  








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koukouvagia


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Sorry about the sideways picture, I try to turn it and save it but it ends up like this anyway. Moving on, I seared the roast on all sides and removed from the creuset. In the drippings I sauteed onions, garlic, and then added carrots, celery and mushrooms, s/p, thyme and rosemary. Then I added 2 tbsp of flour and cooked it. In went a whole can of Guiness and brought to a simmer. I settled the roast back into the juices and put it in a low oven.





  








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koukouvagia


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Oct 19, 2013








About 2.5hrs later it was tender, I took it out of the braising liquid and let it cool. I patted it dry before wrapping it in puff pastry.





  








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koukouvagia


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Oct 19, 2013








Served with mashed potatoes, steamed broccolini and the most devine mushroom gravy you can imagine!!





  








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koukouvagia


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I've been having poor luck braising chuck lately, it was a little dry but the sauce was there to take care of that. Next time it's meatloaf wellie chefed!!


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Koukouvagia said:


> I took it out of the braising liquid and let it cool. (....)
> 
> I've been having poor luck braising chuck lately, it was a little dry


I believe that was the mistake right there. Do not take it out of the braising liquid, let it cool in the braising liquid, then take it out once it's fully cold. In fact I did mention it earlier. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif


French Fries said:


> I would suggest you let the braised meat chill in its own braising liquid first, then take it out the liquid when cold


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I guess I didn't listen.  I'm upset about it a little because I hate mistakes of the culinary kind, thank goodness the gravy was plentiful.  I do admit, the meat was very tender though.


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

Koukouvagia said:


> ... I'm upset about it a little because I hate mistakes of the culinary kind...


 I'm with you Miss KK! I DO NOT like to mess up food and then no one wants to eat it, to me that is such a waste of food and money and my time too.

When I was a kid, no matter what kind of c--- my mother put in front of us kids, we had to eat it, we just weren't in a position to waste anything!


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