Moose Wellington with Madera Sauce is a rich and elegant twist on the classic beef Wellington. This dish features tender, lean moose loin wrapped in a savory mushroom duxelles and flaky puff pastry, baked to golden perfection. The bold, gamey flavor of the moose pairs beautifully with a luxurious Madera sauce—a reduction of Madeira wine, shallots, and beef stock—adding a deep, slightly sweet complexity that elevates every bite. Ideal for special occasions, it’s a showstopping centerpiece that brings wild game to the fine dining table.

Ingredients

Madera Sauce

1 cup Madera wine

2 cups beef stock

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 shallot, minced

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter (softened)

2 tablespoons flour

Salt & Pepper to taste

Duxelles (mushrooms)

1 ½ - 2 lbs. mixed mushrooms, chopped 

2 shallots, chopped

1 teaspoon thyme, chopped

½ teaspoon rosemary, chopped

½ tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter (unsalted)

1 oz. brandy

Salt & Pepper to taste

Moose - (venison, buffalo or any red meat can be substituted)

4-6 lbs. Moose Backstrap, trimmed

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

4-6 oz. liver pate (can be store bought and prepared), (Optional)

3-4 tablespoons Dijon mustard

14-17 oz. package puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon water
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

Sauce:

Using a medium saucepan heat to medium high heat adding olive oil. When hot add shallot. Sweat shallot for 2-3 minutes.

Add Madera, stock, and vinegar. Reduce sauce at a low boil until reduced by about half or about 30 minutes stirring occasionally. 

While sauce is reducing. Combine butter and flour with a fork. Mix very well to combine. 

Add salt & pepper to taste. When sauce is reduced by about half to thicken slowly add the butter/flour mixture to help thicken the sauce. Once thickened to desired thickness, set sauce aside and keep warm. 

Sauce can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat to serve with meat. 

Duxelles:

In a food processer combined mushrooms, shallots, rosemary, and thyme pulse until chopped medium-fine. 

Heat a large sauté pan to medium high with olive oil and butter. Add duxelles ingredients. Cook on medium heat until all liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. About 20 minutes. 

Add salt & pepper to taste.

Remove pan from heat add the brady. Return to heat, stir mixture and reduce until liquid has evaporated. About 5 minutes. This should have no liquid left in the pan. 

Turn off heat and allow to cool to room temperature. About 30 minutes. 

Moose:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Liberally season with salt & pepper the moose meat. In a large hot skillet or fry pan heat olive oil and butter until hot. Seared all sides of the meat until well-browned on all sides. About 10-12 minutes. Set aside off heat to cool to room temperature. 

While meat is cooling, use two sheets of the pastry dough that are seamed together with the egg wash on the seam. Be sure to keep egg wash off the working surface or pastry will stick. Roll out puff pastry on a well-floured surface until pastry is about 1/8-1/4 thickness and large enough to completely cover the meat when rolled up. 

Spoon the duxelles over the pastry to match the length and width of the meat when rolled up. Cut thin slices of the pate and add layer it over the duxelles on one end to match the meat length. You will be only covering the top side of the meat with the pate. 

Spread mustard on the outside of the meat. Place the meat on top of the pate and duxelles. If you don’t have pate, this will still taste great without it.

Taking one end of the pastry wrap it over the meat. Roll the entire pastry and meat up until it is wrapped entirely. Seal the end seam using egg wash. Wrap and trim the ends sealing with egg wash. Wrap the end over to seal the entire meat with the pastry.

Place the entire wrapped meat on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Egg wash the entire pastry. 

Place in the oven and cook until internal temperature is around 125-130 degrees for medium rare, about 25-40 minutes depending on thickness of the meat. Remove from oven and let rest.

Let rest at least 15-20 minutes before carving and serving. 

Slice and serve with sauce. 

Yield: 6-8 servings