Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe: Crispy, Juicy Mexican Pork

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Slow cooker pork carnitas is the easiest path to the best tacos of your life: a pork shoulder rubbed with cumin and oregano, slow-cooked in orange and lime juice until it falls apart, then crisped in a hot pan until the edges turn golden and crackly. Juicy inside, crispy outside — that contrast is the whole point. The slow cooker does the hard work. Eight hours on low turns a tough shoulder meltingly tender, and the citrus in the cooking liquid keeps the pork bright instead of heavy. The real magic happens at the end: shred the pork, spread it in a screaming-hot skillet with a splash of its own cooking liquid, and let it sit undisturbed until the edges char. Do not skip that step — crisping is what makes carnitas carnitas. Crispy edges, juicy center — carnitas night done right. Recipe Info Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 8 hours (slow cooker, low) Total time: 8 hours 30 minutes Servings: 8 Calories: ~520 kcal per serving Pork, citrus and spice — carnitas starts h...
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Classic Beef Wellington Recipe: Golden Puff Pastry and Tender Beef

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Beef wellington is the showstopper every home cook should try once — a seared beef tenderloin brushed with mustard, wrapped in mushroom duxelles and prosciutto, then sealed in golden puff pastry and baked until flaky. Slice it open at the table and the rosy centre gets the gasp it deserves.

The recipe rewards patience, not fancy skills. Dry duxelles, a well-chilled wrap, and cold pastry are the whole secret: moisture is the enemy of crisp pastry, and resting the roast keeps the beef pink instead of grey. Make it a day ahead, bake on the day, and dinner feels like a celebration.

Classic beef wellington with golden lattice puff pastry, sliced to reveal pink tender beef and mushroom duxelles, with roasted vegetables

Golden pastry, rosy beef, rich duxelles — the classic centrepiece, done at home.

Recipe Info

  • Prep time: 45 minutes
  • Cook time: 40 minutes
  • Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes (plus 15 minutes resting)
  • Servings: 6
  • Calories: ~680 kcal per serving
Flat lay of beef wellington ingredients: beef tenderloin, mushrooms, puff pastry, prosciutto, Dijon mustard, egg, thyme, butter and black pepper

Good beef, patient duxelles and cold pastry — the three keys to a great wellington.

Ingredients

  • 800 g / 1 3/4 lb beef tenderloin (centre-cut), trimmed and tied
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (30 g)
  • 500 g / 1.1 lb chestnut or cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 30 g / 2 tbsp butter
  • 8 slices prosciutto
  • 500 g / 1.1 lb all-butter puff pastry, thawed but cold
  • 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
  • 1 tbsp plain flour, for dusting
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine salt, divided
  • 1 tsp black pepper, divided
  • Flaky sea salt, to finish
Close-up of a slice of beef wellington showing golden flaky puff pastry, mushroom duxelles and rosy pink medium-rare beef

Flaky pastry, earthy duxelles, perfectly pink beef — slice slowly and enjoy the reveal.

Instructions

  1. Sear the beef: Pat the tenderloin dry and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Sear in a ripping-hot, oiled pan for 1–2 minutes per side until browned all over, including the ends. Brush with Dijon mustard while warm, then cool completely.
  2. Make the duxelles: Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme with the remaining salt and pepper for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is dark, dry, and holds together like a paste. Spread on a plate and cool completely — wet duxelles make soggy pastry.
  3. Wrap in prosciutto: Lay a sheet of cling film on the work surface and overlap the prosciutto slices into a rectangle. Spread the cooled duxelles evenly over the prosciutto, set the beef at one edge, and roll tightly using the film. Twist the ends, then chill for 20 minutes to firm up.
  4. Wrap in pastry: On a floured surface, roll the cold puff pastry into a rectangle large enough to enclose the beef with a 2 cm / 1-inch overlap. Unwrap the beef, set it in the centre, brush the pastry edges with egg wash, and fold tightly, seam-side down. Trim excess pastry and score the top lightly.
  5. Chill again: Brush all over with egg wash, sprinkle with flaky salt, and chill for 20 minutes (or overnight, covered). Cold pastry puffs higher and bakes crisper — never bake a warm wellington.
  6. Bake until golden: Heat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Bake on a lined tray for 35–40 minutes until deep golden, and a thermometer in the centre reads 52–54 °C / 125–130 °F for medium-rare. Tent loosely with foil if the pastry browns too fast.
  7. Rest and slice: Rest for 15 minutes — this lets the juices settle and the beef finish gently. Slice with a sharp serrated knife in confident strokes, and serve with roasted vegetables and a simple red wine jus if you like.

Tips & Variations

  • Dry duxelles are non-negotiable. If the mushroom paste still releases liquid when pressed with a spoon, keep cooking. Patience here is the difference between crisp and soggy.
  • Use a thermometer, not the clock. Ovens and tenderloin thickness vary. Pull at 52–54 °C / 125–130 °F for medium-rare; the temperature rises a few degrees while resting.
  • Make it ahead. Assemble through the pastry wrap, chill overnight, and bake the next day — add 5 minutes to the bake time if baking straight from the fridge.
  • Keep everything cold. Warm pastry melts before it puffs. If the kitchen is hot, chill the wrapped roast between every step.
  • Score, do not cut through. Light scoring looks beautiful and helps steam escape. Cutting into the pastry layer lets juices out and collapses the puff.
  • Individual wellingtons for a party. Cut the tenderloin into 6 steaks, sear, and wrap each one the same way. Bake for 20–25 minutes at the same temperature.
  • Leftovers reheat gently. Warm slices at 160 °C / 325 °F for 10–12 minutes. The microwave ruins the pastry — save it for the vegetables.

Nutrition Note

This is an approximate guide only, not dietary advice. One serving contains roughly 680 kcal, 42 g protein, 44 g fat, and 28 g carbohydrates. Beef tenderloin is a lean cut rich in iron and B vitamins; the pastry and prosciutto add most of the fat and salt, so pairing with roasted vegetables and a salad keeps the plate balanced for a celebration meal.

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FAQ

Why did my wellington come out soggy?

Usually wet duxelles, warm pastry, or skipping the chill. Cook the mushrooms until truly dry, cool everything before wrapping, and chill the assembled roast before baking.

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Centre-cut tenderloin is best because it cooks evenly and stays tender. A trimmed sirloin roast can work in a pinch, but it will be chewier and needs a thermometer even more.

Can I skip the prosciutto?

Yes — it adds salt and a moisture barrier, but the wellington still works without it. Spread the duxelles directly on cling film, roll around the beef, and proceed.

How do I know it is medium-rare without cutting it?

Use an instant-read thermometer through the pastry into the centre: 52–54 °C / 125–130 °F at pull time, rising to about 57 °C / 135 °F after resting.

Can I freeze beef wellington?

Freeze unbaked, well wrapped, for up to a month. Bake from frozen at 200 °C / 400 °F for 55–65 minutes, tenting with foil once golden, until the centre reaches temperature.

Give this classic beef wellington a try for your next celebration — sear, wrap, chill, bake, and let the first slice do the talking. If you make it, tell us in the comments how pink your centre turned out, and save this recipe for the next occasion worth a centrepiece.

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