Crisp pastry for wellington

Rob_Ransome_176184

Looking to make a pigeon wellington next week but have in the past had trouble getting the desired level of crispiness in my puff pastry in previous attempts made with beef. Aside from the obvious of baking on a pre heated sheet and removing as much moisture as possible, any tips?

Brandon_Byrd_40557

Pre-cooking the protein is a good way to avoid soggy bottoms on wellingtons. That way you don't have to worry about cooking the meat all the way through and can instead just focus on getting a crispy crust. It also helps minimize juices seeping into the pastry.