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    Home » Recipes » Venison Dishes

    December 24, 2020 · Updated August 16, 2022

    Deer Wellington

    5 from 12 votes
    14 Comments

    · by Amanda Gajdosik

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. This blog generates income via ads.

    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!

    Slices of deer wellington are on a white plate with roasted potatoes and brussels sprouts.

    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?

    An overhead shot of a silver tray filled with venison wellington wrapped in puff pastry and a pile of roasted potatoes and halved, roasted brussels sprouts.

    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
    All of the ingredients for a deer wellington recipe are laid out on a grey backdrop.

    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.

    The bowl of a food processor is filled with an uncooked duxelles mixture.

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

    A sauté pan is filled with cooked duxelles. There is a blue rubber spatula in the pan.

    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!

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

    A rectangle of layer prosciutto on a piece of plastic wrap.

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

    A hand pushes the back of a spoon to spread cooked duxelles onto the layer of prosciutto.

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

    A pastry brush adds dijon mustard to a seared venison tenderloin on the mushrooms and prosciutto of this venison wellington.

    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.

    A pair of hands twist the ends of plastic wrap closed on the beginnings of venison wellington.

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

    A pair of hands encases the venison tenderloin in a sheet of puff pastry on a wooden cutting board.

    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.

    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.

    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.

    More venison recipes you may enjoy

    • Ground Venison Stroganoff
    • Venison Enchiladas
    • Grilled Venison Backstrap
    • Venison Meatballs
    • Mini Venison Pot Pies

    And to all a good night!

    A white banner with black lettering and stars asking readers to leave a recipe rating or comment.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 12 votes

    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
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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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    Comments

      5 from 12 votes (6 ratings without comment)

      Leave a rating and review! Cancel reply

      Did you love the recipe? Let me know! And let others know too by leaving a comment and star rating. Reviews are so useful in helping other people find my site and make my recipes. Your support means the world to me!

      Amanda

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Roy Brum says

      March 19, 2025 at 9:49 pm

      5 stars
      The recipe is a little time consuming but definitely worth the time and effort. Followed the recipe for the most part except for the fresh thyme, but was delicious just the same. Searing all 4 sides was key to achieving the right temp. I then baked it for 20 min at 400 degrees when the internal temp was 130 I removed it from the oven and let it sit for 10 min.

      Reply
      • Amanda Gajdosik says

        March 24, 2025 at 3:21 pm

        Hi Roy,

        Thank you for your kind words. Yes, definitely time consuming but so worth it for a special meal!

        Best,
        Amanda

        Reply
    2. Christene Catlin says

      November 15, 2024 at 1:54 pm

      I have a question can I do the mushroom mixer earlier in the week and freeze it. Pull it out and use it the day I am making the Wellington.

      Reply
      • Amanda Gajdosik says

        November 15, 2024 at 3:06 pm

        Hi Christene,

        I've never tried to freeze the mushrooms, but it should work! Make sure they are fully cooled and seal in an airtight container. When they thaw, if there's any excess moisture, just be sure to blot it out with a paper towel before proceeding with the recipe!

        Best of luck and let me know how the freezing turns out!
        Amanda

        Reply
    3. Marisa says

      March 29, 2024 at 4:11 am

      5 stars
      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
    4. Robin Holmes says

      December 11, 2023 at 1:24 pm

      5 stars
      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

        December 12, 2023 at 1:13 pm

        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
    5. Ryan says

      February 19, 2023 at 12:18 am

      5 stars
      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

        November 06, 2023 at 3:07 pm

        5 stars
        I made my own dijon mustard. It turned out fabulous.

        Reply
        • Amanda Gajdosik says

          November 06, 2023 at 3:26 pm

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

    6. Ken Wedig says

      January 02, 2023 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      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

        January 03, 2023 at 2:36 pm

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

        Reply
    7. Mary-Margaret says

      February 01, 2022 at 12:38 am

      When do I remove the butcher's twine?

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        February 08, 2022 at 7:26 pm

        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

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