Skip to main content

Classic Béarnaise Sauce

Serves:
8
This is the other great classic egg based French sauce. It can be used as a sauce for steak, sea food, vegetables, eggs, and even french fries. It is a cross between Hollandaise and Beurre Blanc. The difference between Bearnaise and Hollandaise is the use of a reduction of white wine, vinegar, shallot, and tarragon which gives Bearnaise it's distinctive yet delicate flavor.
Download / Print

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup:
    champagne vinegar
  • 1/2 cup:
    dry white wine
  • 2:
    shallots, minced
  • 1 teaspoon:
    black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons:
    fresh tarragon, finely chopped
  • 4:
    extra large egg yolks
  • 3 (8-ounce) sticks:
    butter, clarified
  • salt, to taste

Directions:

  • 1:

    In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar, wine, shallot, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the tarragon leaves. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer.

  • 2:

    Simmer the vinegar mixture until the liquid has reduced to about 4 tablespoons, 3-5 minutes.

  • 3:

    Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

  • 4:

    In another medium saucepan, melt the butter completely. Remove from heat and let stand allowing milk solids to settle to the bottom. Skim off any milk solids still on the surface. Pour the clear butterfat into a measuring cup, leaving the milky-watery layer behind. Keep warm and set aside.

  • 5:

    Fill another large saucepan with about an inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

  • 6:

    Transfer the cooled vinegar mixture to a stainless steel bowl that will fit atop the saucepan without touching the simmering water.

  • 7:

    Add 2 tablespoon of room temperature water and the egg yolks to the vinegar mixture and whisk to combine.

  • 8:

    Reduce heat to low and whisk the yolk mixture until thickened and almost doubled in volume, about 5-7 minutes.

  • 9:

    Add the clarified butter a little at a time, whisking slowly between each addition until emulsified. Occasionally remove the bowl from the heat to keep the sauce from overheating and cooking the eggs.

  • 10:

    Season with salt and pepper, then add the remaining tarragon. Ready to serve.