Cheeseburger Wellingtons

These Cheeseburger Wellingtons are outrageously juicy, cheesy and wrapped in golden puff pastry. Fun, easy and dangerously delicious!

Prep Time25

Cook Time30

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Western

Servings:

Author: Chris Collins

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Tape Measure (for patties/pastry)
Large Heavy-Based/Cast-Iron Pan & Turner/Flipper
Large Baking Tray & Baking Paper
Brush (for egg wash)

Ingredients

1lb / 500g Ground/Minced Beef, take out of the fridge 30 mins or so before needed (must be 20% - see notes)
Salt & Black Pepper, as needed
Vegetable Oil, as needed
2x sheets of Puff Pastry (see notes)
8 slices of American/Processed Cheese
4 tbsp Caramelised Onion Chutney (see notes)
4 tbsp Burger Sauce, or sauce of choice
16 Pickles/Gherkins, patted dry to remove excess moisture
1 Egg, beaten for egg wash
2 tsp Sesame Seeds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.
Slice the beef into 4 portions, then gently roll each one into a ball. Press each one into a patty that is 3.5" wide (they should end up around 3/4" thick). Don't overwork the meat otherwise the patty will come out chewy (think feather fingers). Generously season both sides with salt and black pepper.
Place a large heavy-based or cast-iron pan over high heat. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan, then once hot, add the patties and leave for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Flip them over and fry for another 1 minute and 30 seconds, then remove from the pan. This isn't to cook them right through, more just to get a nice crust on the outside. Leave the patties to completely cool to room temp (important otherwise they'll steam the pastry). You may need to work in batches.
Slice 4x circles from the pastry that are 1/2" wider than the patty (should end up 4.5" wide). Slice 4x larger circles approx 1" wider than the smaller circles. They need to be large enough to cover the whole burger and attach to the base circle.
Place a slice of cheese on each of the smaller circles (fold in the corners if you need to) then spread over 1 tbsp of chutney/caramelised onions. Pat the patties dry if they're notably oily/wet and place on top of the onion, then add another slice of cheese on top. Spread some sauce on top, then add the pickles on top.
Drape the larger circles over the top and use a fork to crimp the outside into the bottom slice of pastry (try to close as tightly as you can without tearing). Use a knife to slice off excess pastry and clean up the outside.
Carefully place them on a large tray with baking/parchment paper. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds, then slice a couple of small steam holes in the top. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until deep golden and visibly flaky/crispy.
The filling will be very hot, so rest for a few mins then tuck in and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Puff Pastry - I use store-bought pre-rolled puff pastry. Each pack is typically 14″x9″ (35.5cmx22cm) and 320g/11.3oz in weight, so if you're using a block of pastry aim for that. You should be able to slice perfect circles from the pastry, but if you end up running out of room, just combine all the excess pastry, roll it out and use that.

b) Cold Pastry - it's really important that the pastry is fridge-cold. Cold pastry puffs up far better than pastry that's at room temp. Understandably the top layer of pastry can get difficult to mould if it's too cold, so let that thaw a little if needed, but the bottom layer needs to be cold. I typically slice it and leave it in the fridge (or freezer if it's warmed too much) until I need it.

c) Beef - to ensure the patties stay nice and juicy, you need to use high-fat beef. The initial frying is just to develop some flavour and build up a crust. Just another reminder to make sure you don't overwork the meat, otherwise, the patties will come out tough and chewy.

d) Onions/Chutney - I just use store-bought caramelised onion chutney, but you could make some Caramelised Onions if you'd prefer, or, even just grill/fry some onions and use that if you don't want the added sweetness.

e) Sauce - I love a dollop of Burger Sauce, but you could use any sauce you fancy. You only want a small amount inside the pastry. Too much liquid and the pastry will be soggy (you can serve more alongside at the end).

Nutrition