Pork Wellington

pork wellington beauty

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 85 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Refrigerate: 15 mins
Total: 2 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 4 servings

The classic beef Wellington consists of a beef tenderloin cooked in pastry, with a mixture of mushroom duxelles and pâté that sits between the meat and pastry. Our recipe is a take on that famous dish, shaped likewise, equally tasty, but with flavorful and juicy pork tenderloin instead, salty and fatty prosciutto to wrap the pork, and a mixture of mushrooms and shallots to encase the meat. A delicate and creamy béarnaise sauce accompanies this meal and adds some creaminess to balance the crunch of the pastry and the earthiness of the meat and mushrooms. As this dish is filling and hearty on its own, some roasted vegetables or a simple green salad will be enough to make it a wholesome dinner.

Although there are many stories about why the dish came to have this name, it is in fact named after the Duke of Wellington, who led the British army in the battle of Waterloo. It is said that he was a beef and mushroom enthusiast and that when he was named prime minister, this dish was made and named in his honor. What few people know is that the shape of the finished rolled pastry aims to imitate the upper part of a Wellington boot, or "wellies" as they're known in the U.K. because the duke provided waterproof boots for his entire army to keep his men dry and warm. The dish also honored such a smart decision.

We recommend using an instant-read thermometer as it will be your only tool to know the pork has reached the right temperature without having to slice the pastry. Make sure to remove the silverskin from your pork tenderloin before cooking. If you're getting your meat from the butcher, have them remove the silverskin for you.

“Pork Wellington is a delicious and affordable dish for a special occasion. Granted, it does take a little time to assemble but the payoff is huge. This would make a beautiful main course for a fall or winter holiday meal or a special dinner.” —Joan Velush

Pork Wellington/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Pork:

  • 1 pork tenderloin (1 to 1 1/2 pounds), silver skin removed

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 medium shallot, minced

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

  • 1/4 cup white wine

  • 10 slices prosciutto

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

For Brushing:

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • 1 tablespoon water

For Serving:

Steps to Make It

Brown the Pork

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Raw pork tenderloin plus salt and pepper and oil

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Generously season the pork all over with salt and pepper.

    Pork seasoned with salt and pepper

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the tenderloin and brown on all sides, turning with tongs to achieve even color.

    Pork tenderloin being seared in pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Continue browning the tenderloin, frequently turning, until its internal temperature reaches 110 F on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.

    Searing pork tenderloin

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Transfer the tenderloin to a plate or cutting board and let cool.

    Seared pork tenderloin on plate cooling

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Make the Mushroom Mixture

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gather ingredients for pork Wellington mushroom mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Using a food processor, pulse the mushrooms into a fine texture.

    Add mushrooms to food processor

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.

    Butter melting in a pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. When the butter melts, add the shallot and sauté for 2 minutes.

    Shallot sautéing in butter

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Stir in the chopped mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and a generous pinch of salt. Continue to sauté until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are almost dry.

    Mushrooms sautéing in the pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Using the white wine, deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon.

    Mushroom mixture cooking in white wine

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are almost dry. Transfer to a plate to cool.

    Mushroom mixture cooking in pan after liquid has evaporated

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Assemble the Pork and Mushrooms

  1. Place a large rectangle of plastic wrap on a work surface. Arrange 5 slightly overlapping prosciutto slices over the plastic.

    Prosciutto laying on plastic wrap

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Extend the prosciutto lengthwise with the remaining 5 slices to make a "blanket" of prosciutto large enough to wrap the whole tenderloin.

    Layering of prosciutto on plastic wrap

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Evenly spread 1/2 of the mushroom mixture over the prosciutto blanket.

    Mushroom mixture spread out on prosciutto

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Lay the pork tenderloin on top of the mushroom mixture. Spread the remaining mushroom mixture over the tenderloin.

    Pork on prosciutto layered with mushroom mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Using the plastic wrap as a guide, roll the prosciutto over the tenderloin as if you were rolling a jelly roll.

    Pork tenderloin with prosciutto and mushrooms rolled up

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Seal the plastic wrap tightly and twist the ends to make a compact cylinder (there shouldn't be any pork or mushroom mixture visible). Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

    Pork tenderloin rolled up and prepared for Wellington preparation

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Assemble the Pork Wellington

  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 F.

    Dust a work surface with the flour. Roll the puff pastry into a 12 x 18-inch rectangle.

    Puff pastry on floured surface

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Beat the egg yolk with the water.

    Egg whisked in small bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Brush the egg mixture around the pastry edge.

    Egg wash brushed on pastry

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator and unwrap.

    Unwrapped pork tenderloin

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Lay the tenderloin on the pastry.

    Pork tenderloin in puff pastry ready to roll up

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Wrap the pastry tightly around the meat.

    Pork Wellington being rolled up in puff pastry

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Fold and tuck the ends underneath the resulting bundle.

    Wrapped pork tenderloin in puff pastry, ends folded in

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Brush the pastry with the egg wash.

    Egg wash being brushed on pastry

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  9. Transfer the Wellington to a rimmed baking sheet, seam-side down.

    Pork Wellington on sheet tray ready to be baked

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  10. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through cooking time, until the internal temperature reaches 140 F on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes total. The pastry should be an even golden color. If needed, give it 3 to 5 extra minutes in the oven. Transfer the Wellington to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

    Baked pork Wellington on sheet tray

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  11. Carve the roll into slices and serve with warm béarnaise sauce, if desired.

    Finished pork Wellington

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
434 Calories
26g Fat
16g Carbs
32g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 434
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 34%
Saturated Fat 8g 41%
Cholesterol 173mg 58%
Sodium 2049mg 89%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 32g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 53mg 4%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 1045mg 22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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