Irresistible Keto Beef Wellington Recipe: Gourmet Flavor Without the Carbs!

Beef Wellington, a dish synonymous with culinary excellence, traditionally features a tender filet mignon encased in a rich duxelles, wrapped in prosciutto, and finally enveloped in a flaky puff pastry. While the classic version is undeniably delicious, the puff pastry poses a challenge for those adhering to a ketogenic diet. This recipe offers a delectable keto-friendly alternative that captures the essence of Beef Wellington without compromising your dietary goals.

The Allure of Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington has long been a symbol of high-quality cuisine, utilizing luxurious ingredients and a preparation that requires patience. The dish is a classic for high-end restaurants. It is easy to see why whenever you get the chance to try a Wellington for yourself. The whole concept of the dish is excellent from the inside out. Honestly, there is nothing wrong with a delicious piece of filet mignon on its own. Quality beef wrapped in mushrooms and prosciutto sounds good enough to us. Who needs the added carbs?

Reimagining the Pastry: Keto-Friendly Solutions

The most significant hurdle in adapting Beef Wellington for a keto diet is replacing the traditional puff pastry. Several innovative solutions exist, each offering a unique texture and flavor profile.

One popular approach involves using a "fathead" dough, which utilizes a base of mozzarella cheese. This dough, made with mozzarella and almond flour, provides a surprisingly satisfying crust that complements the savory filling.

Key Ingredients for Keto Beef Wellington

Filet Mignon: The star of the dish, filet mignon, offers unparalleled tenderness and flavor. Aim for high-quality cuts for the best results. I bought 2 tenderloin steaks (also known as filet mignon), which was around 20 dollars. It’s worth buying a part of the loin because it will be tender, juicy, and easy to cut through.
Prosciutto: This dry-cured ham adds a salty and savory layer to the Wellington, enhancing the overall flavor complexity.
Duxelles: A mixture of finely chopped mushrooms, shallots, and herbs sautéed in butter, duxelles provide an earthy and umami-rich element. Duxelle mushrooms are essential to this dish and should not be skipped.
Dijon Mustard: A thin coating of Dijon mustard on the filet mignon adds a tangy kick that complements the other ingredients.
Mozzarella Cheese: The foundation of the keto-friendly pastry, mozzarella cheese, creates a pliable and flavorful dough when combined with almond flour.
Almond Flour: A low-carb alternative to traditional flour, almond flour binds the dough together and provides a slightly nutty flavor.

Step-by-Step Keto Beef Wellington Recipe

This recipe combines elements from various approaches to create a streamlined and delicious Keto Beef Wellington.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

1. Preparing the Duxelles

Place all the duxelles ingredients into a food processor. Process until small pieces (do not puree). The goal is to achieve a finely chopped texture, not puree the mushrooms.
Lightly grease a skillet with butter. Add the duxelles and sauté until lightly browned and most of the water has evaporated. Set aside.

2. Searing the Filet Mignon

Season your steaks with salt and pepper.
Melt your butter on medium-high heat.
Once your butter is melted and bubbling, place your meat gently on the pan. It should start to sizzle and sear your steak.
Turn the steaks every 2-3 minutes, making sure you’ve seared each side before taking them off the heat and letting them cool completely. This is a vital step!
While the meat is still hot, brush it all over with the dijon mustard.

3. Assembling the Wellington

Lay a sheet of wide parchment or plastic wrap out on the counter.
Place 4 or 5 slices of prosciutto, long sides overlapped by ½-inch or so, on the plastic wrap.
Spread half of the duxelles over the center of the prosciutto
Place one piece of meat atop the duxelles, towards one end of the rectangle.
Roll the whole thing up using the plastic wrap to help you along, but being careful not to roll the plastic wrap into the wellington.
Twist the ends of the plastic wrap tightly so that the wellington looks shaped like a candy roll.
Pop in the fridge. Repeat process with the remaining prosciutto, duxelles, meat, and mustard.

4. Crafting the Keto Pastry

Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
Lightly spray a small saucepan with nonstick coconut oil cooking spray. Heat on medium-low heat. Add the cheese and cream cheese, stirring constantly, until melted, completely blended, and stretchy. Alternatively, you can add the cheese and cream cheese to a glass bowl and microwave it, 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted, well blended, and stretchy.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the Baking Blend, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
Add the powdered mixture to the cheese mixture. Begin stirring it. Add the egg and stir the rest of the way. If you like, once the mixture has cooled enough you can touch it (but still very warm), you can knead it to mix it the rest of the way. A stretchy, smooth, still warm dough should result.
Lay another wide sheet of plastic wrap onto the counter (or two regular width sheets, overlapped by several inches). To keep it from moving while rolling the dough, you can put a tiny bit of water on the counter first so that it “sticks” to the counter.
Roll half the pastry dough out onto the plastic wrap until a ¼-inch thick rectangle about 14 inches long by 12 inches wide (give or take-depends on size of meat) results.
Remove one of the wellingtons from the fridge and carefully remove and discard of its plastic wrap.
Place the wellington roll towards one of the short ends of the pastry dough and roll up tightly, using the plastic wrap to help (but being careful not to get the plastic wrap rolled into the wellington). Cut off any excess dough as necessary to keep the dough from overlapping much.
Twist the ends of the plastic wrap so that the wellington, with pastry and all, is pressed into a candy roll shape. Pop in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
Repeat steps 7-10 with the remaining dough and wellington.
Once both wellingtons have done their final chill, remove and discard the plastic wrap and place the wellingtons on the prepared baking sheet.
Using the blunt side of a knife, make line indentations of your choosing on the dough (this step is optional but makes it look fancy). Brush the pastry with egg yolk.

5. Baking to Perfection

Bake for 45 minutes in a 425 degree F oven (tent with foil if the pastry is getting too brown after 20 minutes).

Serving Suggestions

Beef Wellington is a dish for two, and it is the perfect date meal. Plus, all of that work that you put into making the meal won’t go unnoticed. I mean, who wouldn’t love it if somebody made them a dinner as exquisite as this one.

Tips for Success

Start with quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the final product.
Don't skip the duxelles: Duxelle mushrooms are essential to this dish and should not be skipped.
Wrap a tight wellington: Wrapping a tight wellington is critical. Use the cling-film to wrap the prosciutto around the filet mignon. Then wrap the cling-film around the package to secure it. Use a second piece of cling-film to pull the prosciutto-wrapped package tighter together.
Be patient: This recipe requires some time and attention, but the results are well worth the effort.
Monitor the internal temperature: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the filet mignon is cooked to your desired level of doneness.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #beef #wellington #recipe