Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (2024)

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5 from 12 votes

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· by Amanda Gajdosik

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This Deer Wellington recipe is an absolutely stunning holiday dinner idea! Traditional beef Wellington gets a twist with the use of fresh venison tenderloin. Serve with roasted potatoes and brussels sprouts for a Christmas dinner that is elegant, but surprisingly easy!

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (1)

I have wanted to make deer wellington for ages now, and I am so glad it finally happened! It turned out even better than I could have imagined. The venison was perfectly medium rare, the duxelles was flavorful, and the puff pastry was flaky! What more could you ask for in a venison wellington recipe?

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (2)

If you’ve got the itch to try your hand at one of the most classic Christmas dishes and have cuts of venison on hand – this is the dish for you! Here’s what you’ll need to make your own:

  • Venison Tenderloin (backstrap would work too!)
  • Puff Pastry (just use the store-bought!)
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Prosciutto
  • Mushrooms (I used a mix of button and cremini)
  • Shallot
  • Garlic
  • Fresh Thyme
  • Butter
  • Grapeseed Oil
  • S&P
Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (3)

As far as recipes go, this isn’t a huge list of ingredients! A lot of people are intimidated by beef Wellington, as there are numerous steps, but none of them are too complicated! Let’s take a look, shall we?

Deer Wellington Recipe

Make the duxelles. In the bowl of a food processor combine the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic until chopped fine.

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (4)

Cook the duxelles. In a sauté pan with butter, salt, and pepper. Stir in the fresh thyme.

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (5)

Sear the tenderloin. In a cast iron pan after it’s been wrapped with butcher’s twine. This will help the meat keep its shape!

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (6)

Make a rectangle of prosciutto. Simply overlap slices of the meat on plastic wrap. This will help you roll everything together later!

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (7)

Add the cooked duxelles. In a thin even rectangle that’s just a tiny bit smaller than the prosciutto.

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (8)

Add the seared tenderloin. And then brush it with Dijon mustard. There are so many layers of flavor here!

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (9)

Wrap up the tenderloin. Use the plastic wrap to help guide and aid in the rolling process. Make sure the bundle is wrapped tightly and the ends are twisted shut before chilling in the refrigerator.

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (10)

Wrap the tenderloin in puff pastry. After chilling it. This will help keep everything sealed together during the cooking process!

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (11)

Seal and egg wash the Wellington. I just used the back of a spoon to press down onto the seams of the pastry before brushing the entire thing with one beaten egg.

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (12)

Bake the deer Wellington. For 25 minutes! Using two small cuts of venison tenderloin and two small sheets of puffy pastry mean a fast cook time for this stunning dinner.

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (13)

Let the meat rest. Before slicing and serving with roasted potatoes and brussels sprouts!

Helpful hints:

No food processor? No problem! Finely chop all the ingredients for the duxelles with a sharp chef’s knife before cooking.

Easy on the butter! I know, I can’t believe I’m saying that! Start with two tablespoons of salted butter when cooking the mushrooms. These fungi naturally release their moisture when they begin to cook so you don’t want them swimming in liquid!

Cook times may vary. The reason a lot of people are intimidated by Wellington recipes is that you can’t see the meat while it’s cooking. The most important thing is to get the meat up to 130 degrees in the oven (carryover cooking will take care of the rest!). An instant read thermometer is a great tool to have to check the doneness of venison around 25 minutes.

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (14)

More venison recipes you may enjoy

  • Ground Venison Stroganoff
  • Venison Enchiladas
  • Grilled Venison Backstrap
  • Venison Meatballs
  • Mini Venison Pot Pies
Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (15)

And to all a good night!

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (16)

Deer Wellington

All of the traditional elements of beef Wellington – the duxelles, the puffy pastry, the prosciutto, and the Dijon mustard are in this recipe for deer Wellington made with cuts of fresh venison tenderloin! Perfect for a stunning holiday dinner!

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Resting Time10 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef wellington, christmas dinner, deer wellington, Venison, Venison Recipe

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 490kcal

Author: Amanda Gajdosik

Equipment

  • Butcher’s Twine

  • Plastic Wrap

  • Instant Read Thermometer

  • Cast Iron Skillet

  • Pastry Brush

  • Baking Tray

Ingredients

For the duxelles:

  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms I used button and cremini
  • 2 small shallots
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 2 tsp. fresh thyme

For the Wellington:

  • 1 ½ pound venison tenderloin cut in half
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoon Grapeseed oil
  • 12 slices prosciutto
  • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
  • 2 sheets puff pastry thawed according to package directions.
  • 1 egg beaten

Instructions

  • Wrap the tenderloin pieces with butcher’s twine in 1-inch sections. This will help the meat to keep its shape during the cooking process. Season each tenderloin with salt and pepper and set aside while you prepare the duxelles.

For the duxelles:

  • In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic until very fine. (This may need to be done in two batches.) Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

  • Add the mushroom mixture to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat and cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes. During this time the mushrooms will release all of their moisture. This is ok! The liquid will evaporate and the mushrooms will then brown.

  • Remove from heat and stir in fresh thyme. Set duxelles aside.

For the Wellington:

  • Set a cast iron pan over high heat. Add 2 tablespoon of grapeseed oil to the pan and when the oil begins shimmering, add the tenderloin. Sear on each side for 1 minute. Remove from pan and set on a plate to rest. When cool enough to handle, snip of the butcher twine and discard.

  • To make the prosciutto layer place 6 pieces of prosciutto slightly overlapping over one another on a large piece of plastic wrap. They should form a rectangle that is slightly longer and twice is tall as the tenderloin.

  • Spread half of the duxelles over the prosciutto rectangle. Brush the tops of the tenderloin with Dijon mustard.

  • Place one of the tenderloin pieces, mustard side down, on the bottom of the prosciutto and duxelles rectangle. Brush with more Dijon mustard.

  • Using the plastic wrap to help, wrap the prosciutto tightly around the venison tenderloin. Seal each end by twisting them shut.

  • Repeat the process with the second tenderloin, creating another layer of prosciutto and using the second half of the duxelles. You will now have two pieces of wrapped venison tenderloin. Chill for at least 25 minutes, or overnight.

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

  • On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the puff pastry sheets just a tad.

  • Rotate the pastry so it has a corner pointing toward you, like a diamond. Place a wrapped tenderloin in the center of the puff pastry. Fold the corner facing you up and over the tenderloin and brush with egg wash. Fold in each end corner and brush with more egg wash. Fold over the top and press down the seams with the back of a spoon or fork before brushing with egg wash. Repeat the process with the second wrapped tenderloin and the second sheet of puff pastry. Slice slits into the top of the pastry with a sharp knife.

  • Bake deer Wellington in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the venison registers 130 degrees.

  • Remove from oven and allow Wellington to rest for 10 – 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Duxelles can be made up to one day ahead, as well as the wrapped tenderloin.
  • Removing the meat at 130 degrees means that carryover cooking will bring the tenderloin up to at least 135, or medium rare. For a more rare tenderloin, cook only 20 minutes. For a more well-done Wellington, cook longer.
  • Recipe adapted from Delish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 518mg | Potassium: 499mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 5mg

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a rating and review!

  1. Marisa says

    Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (22)
    This recipe worked great. Used our meat thermometer to gauge the inside and our loin took about 27 minutes. Got great! Thank you for the Recipe.

    Reply

  2. Robin Holmes says

    Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (23)
    Stunning and so delicious! We used back strap instead of tenderloin and only had one sheet of puff pastry, rolled out a little thinner and had plenty for 2 rolled pieces. Thank you for the great recipe!

    Reply

    • Amanda Gajdosik says

      Hi Robin!

      I am so THRILLED that you enjoyed this recipe. It's so fun and festive for the holidays 🙂 Thank you for rating and reviewing!

      Amanda

      Reply

  3. Ryan says

    Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (24)
    Amazing recipe, very detailed and turned out delicious - even though I had to make one with prosciutto and one with out (didn't have enough) and had to omit the Dijon because I didn't have that either- may try with another mustard in the future though!

    Reply

    • Stacey says

      Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (25)
      I made my own dijon mustard. It turned out fabulous.

      Reply

      • Amanda Gajdosik says

        Oh that is so ambitious, Stacey! Love it! So glad you enjoyed 🙂 Thanks for rating and reviewing!

  4. Ken Wedig says

    Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (26)
    My family has very high standards when it comes to judging food and they ABSOLUTELY LOVED this meal. It became an instant Christmas classic in our home. Bonus, I had fun preparing. Thank you for sharing such amazing recipes.

    Reply

    • Amanda Gajdosik says

      So, so, so happy to hear your family enjoyed the recipe, Ken! Thanks for being here 🙂

      Reply

  5. Mary-Margaret says

    When do I remove the butcher's twine?

    Reply

    • Amanda says

      After searing and before coating the tenderloin in mustard. I will be sure it states so in the recipe and post! Thanks, Mary-Margaret 🙂

      Reply

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice (2024)

FAQs

Deer Wellington Recipe (using venison tenderloin) - Midwest Nice? ›

The Wellington part of beef Wellington is the pastry it is wrapped in to cook it. If you can afford it the traditional cut is beef tenderloin, but any other lean tender boneless cut will work too. It has to be a tender cut or the pastry ends up overcooked before the meat is cooked to tenderness.

Do you have to use tenderloin for Wellington? ›

The Wellington part of beef Wellington is the pastry it is wrapped in to cook it. If you can afford it the traditional cut is beef tenderloin, but any other lean tender boneless cut will work too. It has to be a tender cut or the pastry ends up overcooked before the meat is cooked to tenderness.

Why is my venison tenderloin tough? ›

If those muscles are cut from the bone before the rigor mortis releases, they won't stretch back out, resulting in tight, or tough, cuts of meat. In hot weather, or a backcountry situation where starting the cooling process is critical, always err on the side of caution.

What is the best temperature for venison tenderloin? ›

You can cook the tender, steaky cuts of venison to the same doneness levels as you would beef, namely 130–135°F (54–57°C) for medium rare and 135–145°F (57–63°C) for medium. Hitting those temperatures just right is important for maximum enjoyment. Luckily, we have a great method for it.

Can you eat deer tenderloin? ›

Cooking Venison That's Tender Or Tough? The tenderloin is the choicest cut of meat on an animal, and should be eaten immediately before it dries out. Every hunter knows which muscle is the softest on any ungulate — the tenderloin.

What is the best cut of meat for Wellington? ›

Traditionally, the dish centers around beef surrounded by pâté, mushrooms and some form of ham that is then wrapped in puff pastry and baked in the oven. The best cut of beef for beef Wellington: We're starting with one of the most tender cuts of beef ever—the tenderloin!

Which cooking method is best for tenderloin? ›

The food web and a great many cookbooks (very many of them highly reputable) recommend blasting a tenderloin in a hot oven, 450–500°F (232–260°C), for a relatively short time to cook it, followed by a counter rest.

What do you soak deer tenderloins in? ›

Soaking: The most common soaking liquids are buttermilk, saltwater, white milk, vinegar, lemon juice and lime juice. While some hunters swear by certain soaking methods to take the “gamey” flavor away or bleed the meat after processing, others don't find it all that helpful.

Does venison get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Large cuts of venison taste best when pot-roasted for several hours. If you have access to a crock pot, use any recipe for beef pot roast and you'll be pleasantly surprised. However, instead of cooking for two to four hours, venison may require substantially longer cooking time for the meat to become tender.

How do you tenderize venison tenderloin? ›

Like any meat , Deer meat to is tenderized by beating it, by marinating it with mild acids like lemon juice, sour curd, buttermilk, vinegar etc for minimum 4 hours . The fibers need to be cut across if you cut along the fibers the meat will be tough and chewy.

Is venison tenderloin the same as backstrap? ›

Backstraps are the large muscles that run parallel along both sides of a deer's spine and rest on top of the ribcage, whereas the tenderloins are much smaller, and are located inside the abdominal cavity underneath the backstrap and the spine.

Can you eat deer tenderloin medium? ›

Actually, because of how lean the meat is, it's actually PREFERRED to eat deer meat medium rare. There's really very little fat in venison, so it's a pretty tricky meat to cook quickly. Most wild game cooks recommend medium-rare because if too much moisture is cooked out of the meat, it'll become tough and chewy.

What is the difference between venison tenderloin and backstrap? ›

In reality, this arm-length cut is the backstrap, not the tenderloin. True tenderloins are found INSIDE the deer's abdominal cavity, and they are delicious. Much smaller than backstraps — only about 10 to 12 inches — tenderloins are located beneath the spine, making them more difficult to reach.

When should you not eat a deer? ›

Do not eat any parts from a deer that appears sick. Do not eat the eyes, brain, tongue, spinal cord, spleen, tonsils or lymph nodes of any deer. If hunting in an area where CWD has been confirmed, have your harvested animal tested for CWD and avoid consuming meat from any animal testing positive. hunting in.

What is the parasite in deer tenderloin? ›

Deer meat, like other forms of wild game and livestock, can carry parasites such as roundworms and tapeworms. These parasites can be contracted through contaminated food or water sources, or by consuming infected meat that has not been properly cooked.

How do you get the wild taste out of deer tenderloin? ›

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution.

What can I use instead of beef tenderloin for Beef Wellington? ›

The best cut of meat for Beef Wellington is a nice beef tenderloin, but you could really make this with a fillet steak or filet mignon if you want to try making smaller, individual beef wellingtons rather than a large one that you slice.

Can you use other cuts for Beef Wellington? ›

There are other options. An entrecôte, center-cut ribeye, can work as can other tender cuts, even eye of round, which some have been rebranding as a faux tenderloin. A good sear before wrapping in pastry is key, just don't overdo it or the baking time inside the pastry will send it far past your desired cooking point.

What can I use instead of beef tenderloin? ›

Tenderloin Substitutes: A ribeye roast will turn out nearly as tender as the tenderloin, but it contains significantly more fat and will take longer to cook. A sirloin butt roast also works, and pork tenderloin is a good option if you're not sold on beef for dinner.

Can you use a beef joint for Beef Wellington? ›

Indulge in a romantic culinary experience this Valentine's Day with our exquisite Centre Cut Fillet of Beef Joint. The perfect cut for making a glorious beef wellington.

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