Perfect Pork Wellington
Juicy, perfectly cooked pork tenderloin, wrapped in prosciutto, mushrooms and buttery puff pastry. This is truly the Perfect Pork Wellington, my dinner party secret weapon. Better yet, it is even easier to make than it looks!
Tonight we are having friends over for dinner, so I’m serving up one of my dinner party secret weapons: The Perfect Pork Wellington.
Why is pork wellington such a secret weapon?
Pork Wellington is a fabulous meal to serve to guests as you can do all the work in advance, then just throw it in the oven before they arrive.
You can be totally relaxed as you bring it out to a chorus of oohs and aahs as you put your masterpiece on the table.
A relaxed host is a happy host… and that means happy guests!
It’s easier on the wallet too.
Pork Wellington is also a lot more budget-friendly than the famous Beef Wellington, as pork tenderloin is a much more affordable cut of meat, and no less delicious.
That way you can even have a practice run before serving it to guests without breaking the bank.
about this recipe
I like to keep the flavours here classic: Seared tenderloin, mushrooms sautéed with fresh herbs, smoky prosciutto and buttery puff pastry.
Served with a deliciously creamy mustard sauce and green vegetables, this pork wellington is a winner every time.
How many people does this recipe serve?
I find that this size cut of pork tenderloin will feed four adults as part of a meal, with a starter or dessert and sides.
If you are eating it by itself or have very big appetites it may be worth doubling the recipe and making two.
The pork looks pink in the photographs! Is pink pork safe?
As always when dealing with pork, I have to point out that as per the new(ish) USDA regulations, pork can be cooked much the same as beef.
That means it is perfectly acceptable to eat pork cooked until pink, or until the internal temperature reaches 62°C /145°F followed by a short rest.
If you are worried about this at all or have picky guests, feel free to add a few minutes to the cooking time, or to check the internal temperature with a thermometer – if so, 71°C / 160°F is a good temperature to aim for.
For bonus points, have fun with the decorations!
I love using the pastry offcuts to make decorations for the pork wellington – here I’ve made braids, leaves and berries, but you can let your imagination run wild. Trust me, it’s worth the little bit of effort for a special occasion dish.
Looking for more Pork Tenderloin recipes?
Why not try my delicious Salsa Verde Pork Tenderloin or my recipe for Pork Medallions with Peppers? For a bigger pork roast I’d recommend my traditional Bavarian Roast Pork – Krustenbraten recipe.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I make Pork Wellington in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the dish up to the point where it is wrapped in pastry, then refrigerate for several hours. Before cooking, allow to rest at room temperature for at least half an hour and as it has been chilled, I’d suggest adding a few minutes to the cooking time and checking the internal temperature with a thermometer before serving.
Can I really cook pork so pink?
Yes, you can! Even the notoriously cautious USDA has confirmed that you can cook pork to an internal temperature of 62°C / 145°F followed by a short rest. You can find more information here. If you prefer your meat more well done, simply add a few minutes to the cooking time, and aim for an internal temperature of 71°C / 160°F.
Can I double the recipe to feed more people?
You sure can! This is a great party dish and two or three will easily fit on one oven tray. You’ll need to rope in some extra hands at the table to cut and serve though.
The Perfect Pork Wellington
Juicy, perfectly cooked pork tenderloin, wrapped in prosciutto, mushrooms and buttery puff pastry. This is truly the Perfect Pork Wellington, my dinner party secret weapon. Better yet, it is even easier to make than it looks!
Ingredients
- 500 g pork tenderloin
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 250 g mushrooms, diced
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- small bunch fresh thyme, leaves only
- 50 ml white wine
- 250 g puff pastry
- 6 slices prosciutto or Parma ham
- 1 Tbsp mustard
- small bunch fresh sage, leaves chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- sea salt and black pepper
for the creamy mustard sauce:
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 onion, very finely diced
- 2 Tbsp mustard
- 125 ml chicken stock
- 125 ml white wine
- 50 ml whipping cream
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- SEAR THE MEAT: Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F / Gas 7. Remove any silver skin from the tenderloin and trim off any thin end. Season the tenderloin well on all sides with salt and pepper, then heat the oil in a large frying pan until very hot. Sear the pork on all sides, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- SAUTÉ THE VEGETABLES: Turn the heat to medium and melt the butter in the frying pan. Cook the mushrooms, onion and thyme until softened and golden brown, around 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any browned on flavour from the pan with a wooden spatula. Cook until the liquid has evaporated, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- ROLL AND WRAP IN PASTRY: Roll out the pastry to an approx 30cmx30cm square, then lay the slices of prosciutto on top, slightly overlapping. Brush with the mustard, sprinkle with the sage leaves, then spread the mushroom and onion mixture evenly over the prosciutto. Place the pork on top of the mushrooms, then roll up the pastry, tucking the ends underneath.
- DECORATE AND GLAZE: Transfer to an oven tray lined with baking paper, decorate with any pastry offcuts if you like, then brush well with the beaten egg.
- COOK THE PORK WELLINGTON: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown (see note).
- MAKE THE SAUCE: While the pork wellington is cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat the butter in the same frying pan that you used for the mushrooms until melted. Gently cook the onion for 5 minutes until softened, but not browned.
- REDUCE THE SAUCE: Stir in the mustard and cook for 1 minute, then pour in the chicken stock and white wine. Bring to a simmer, stirring, then stir through the cream and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes until thickened slightly, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm.
- SLICE AND SERVE: When the pork is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting with a serrated knife and serving. Serve with green beans and the creamy mustard sauce.
Notes
How long you cook the pork depends on how you would like the pork done. 30 minutes should give you a lovely rosy pink medium-rare, which is now accepted to be safe for pork – see the USDA website for further information. If you have any concerns, or simply prefer your meat a little well done, you can cook a little longer, or until the internal temperature reads 71°C / 160° F on a digital thermometer.
Recommended Equipment
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Nutrition
Serving: 2 slices | Calories: 798kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 590mg | Potassium: 932mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 627IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?I’d love to hear how it went! Please leave a review or a star rating and let me know how it was! Use the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.
Can I wrap tenderloin in pastry and then refrigerate until ready to cook. Maybe three hours before cooking??
Hi Barbara, yes, this dish can be prepared in advance with a couple of adjustments! Be sure the ingredients are cool or room temperature when you are assembling as otherwise the pastry can be a little soggy. Only egg wash the pastry just before baking for best results. For peace of mind that the tenderloin is cooked through I would use a thermometer to check done-ness, or if you don’t have one to hand, bake the Wellington a little longer so that it comes up to temperature in the middle. Remember than thicker cuts of tenderloin will take longer to cook through than very skinny ones 😀 Enjoy! J.
This pork wellington was so delicious and gorgeous. Pretty easy to make for such a fancy meal. I’m excited to make again for our Christmas dinner party.
=== Thank you so much for your lovely review Krista! I am delighted you enjoyed this recipe, it is one of my dinner party favourites because it is guaranteed to impress! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and festive season, J. ===
SUPER GOOD RECIPE. I added a layer of spinach leaves between the prosciutto and mushroom mixture. I will make this again.
Thank you so much Manon! I am very happy you enjoyed this recipe and I love the idea of adding spinach, sounds delicious! J.
I’m making this today, so I’ll let you know what my guests thought of it. I am changing the mushrooms to thinly sliced courgette as one of the guests does not like mushrooms in any style
Hi there, I hope your guests enjoy it! It is always a great dish for dinner parties. Courgette sounds like a really good substitute for mushrooms, be sure to get as much moisture out of it as possible to prevent the pastry going soggy! Happy cooking, J.
Yes I’m cooking it right now and will be cooking the onion courgette and thyme (i am also adding fresh garlic as all my guests love it) for about 20 minutes
Sounds delicious! Now you’ve made me hungry! J.
Lovely for a holiday brunch with a pan of Potatoes Boulangerie and a mix of different salads. The last time I was in London I I grabbed a jar of Fig and Fennel chutney at Fortnum & Mason. I had no idea what to do with it until I found your recipe. Used it in place of your mushroom spread and wrapped it all in pre-crisped bacon ( I am in the states and Costco carries this) and the puff pastry.
Amazing. Thank you.
For those preparing ahead of time: I seared and seasoned meat the night before and popped in fridge when cool. Used spread and bacon and wrapped in puff pastry the next morning and popped back in the fridge. Brought it out an hour before backing when guests were arriving and it was fine when I cooked it.
Hi Catherine, this sounds absolutely delish with the Potatoes Boulangerie and the fig and fennel chutney, yum! Great tips and timings for preparing the next day, I will add some of these into the recipe to help people out, thank you for sharing and for your kind words! All the very best for the festive season and the coming year! J.