Christmas eve, birthday and Chanukah celebration
It was my birthday, so I designed the meal...
My father had made this recipe previously where he wrapped individual portions of the beef, but wasn't satisfied with the tenderness of each piece. So, for the thirtieth birthday, we decided to use one large cut of premium, grass-fed beef.
This recipe serves about 8 adults
Total prep time: 30-45 minutes
Total cook time: about 45 minutes
- 2 packages (4 pieces) of puff pastry-- frozen and then thawed right before use
- 1/2-3/4 lb thinly sliced prosciutto
- 2-3 heads of garlic (roughly 1.5 cups) finely, but unevenly chopped
- One trick to peeling garlic is to mix the individual cloves in a bowl with some sea salt, then lightly "smash" the cloves with the flat side of the knife with the palm of your hand. Please make sure the blade side is facing out.
- 3 egg yolks, beaten
- 2.5 LBS center cut Beef Tenderloin
- We started by sautéing the chopped garlic in avocado oil in a cast iron skillet on medium.
- Set aside in a bowl
- Roll out your puff pastry so it is about 1/4" thick
- We did not do this, but you may roll out your puff pastry on top of saran wrap about 1 1/2 size of your puff pastry. This will help you roll the opposing edges of the puff pastry onto together tightly.
- To connect two or more pieces use a pastry brush (I suggest using a rubber brush) along the edges of both sides and gently roll them together with a rolling pin.
- Cover the puff pastry with a thick layer of the garlic, my family loves garlic, so we were very generous with the amount we used.
- Lay out your individual pieces of prosciutto over the garlic, overlapping the edges slightly
- For the top layer of the prosciutto, overlap the edges with the puff pastry so you can then wrap the beef more tightly and cleanly.
- Season your beef with salt and pepper
- I suggest using some (preferably fresh) rosemary as well.
- In the same skillet as used for the garlic, brown your beef on all sides
- Place your beef on top of the prosciutto, and fold the edges around tightly like a burrito.
- Wrap your puff pastry over the beef.
- Close the edges and any additional pieces with the egg yolk by using the pastry brush.
- Trim any excess pastry dough.
- Glaze the top with excess egg or soft butter using the pastry brush. (For some reason my dad used a fork... it works, just not as well as a brush).
- Place in the oven for 35-45 minutes at 425* F (when internal temperature reaches 125* F)
- Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes
- Note that the beef will continue to cook when it is sitting
- Some folks in my family (my mother), likes her meat fairly bloody, whilst my father and I do not, so we took the beef out when it was still medium rare, cut into serving portions and then lightly sautéed pieces for those of us whom like our meat a bit more cooked.
Beef doneness cheat sheet:
| Rare | 120 - 125 degrees F | Center is bight red, outside light red |
| Medium Rare | 130 - 135 degrees F | Center is pink, outside light gray / brown |
| Medium | 140 - 145 degrees F | Center is pink, outside brown |
| Medium Well | 150 - 155 degrees F | Center and outside brown |
| Well Done | 160 + degrees F | Darker outside, inside brown |
We served this dish with Latkes (potato pancakes) as it was the first night of Chanukah, and steamed green beans. However, fingerling potatoes, steamed and then sautéed with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary and steamed broccolini or asparagus (lightly drizzled with lemon juice) would also go very nicely with this meal.
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