Gordon Ramsay's Secret Flavor-Boosting Ingredient For Beef Wellington

Whether you're cooking for a special occasion or just want to test your culinary skills, beef wellington is always a delicious, show-stopping dish that's sure to please a crowd. But it takes skill to make, and there are many elements to consider: The duxelles, prosciutto, and the impressively scored puff pastry.

When it comes to beef wellington, no one does it better than Gordon Ramsay. The British chef is known for his love of the dish. It's served in many of his restaurants around the world, and he's said it would be on his last supper menu. Ramsay even helped break the world record for the largest one ever made in 2023.

Ramsay has broken down his beef wellington recipe step-by-step in his cookbooks and online videos, and there's a flavor-boosting ingredient he never skips: A light brush of Dijon mustard on the beef. The mustard not only marinates the meat and gives it a slight kick, but it also helps tenderize it.

Ramsay adds the mustard early on in the cooking process. After rolling the beef into a cylinder shape and seasoning it with salt and pepper, he sears it on a hot pan. Once all the juices are sealed in, he moves it to a plate and uses a pastry brush to coat it in Dijon mustard. In an instructional video created for Masterclass on YouTube, Ramsay says to do this step while the meat is still warm so the mustard seeps into the center of the beef. 

Mustard contains vinegar, which carries flavor into meat and helps break down its proteins, making it more tender. Mustard also adds a tangy, bright kick to beef wellington and further enhances its rich flavors. A little will go a long way, and Ramsay doesn't measure how much mustard he uses — he simply dips the pastry brush into the jar and ensures the steak is covered. Once the meat is coated, per Masterclass, he leaves it to rest while he prepares the duxelles using mushrooms and thyme.

Ramsay's other helpful tips include using plastic wrap to aid the wrapping process and leaving the wellington to rest for a few minutes before slicing. Of all the tips you need to master beef wellington, a quick brush of Dijon is one of the simplest and most effective, helping to create a perfectly balanced, tender dish that's sure to impress every time.