Traditional Homemade Béarnaise Sauce

Name: Traditional Homemade Béarnaise Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 200 g of unsalted butter (clarified or melted and lukewarm); 3 egg yolks (at room temperature); 1,5 tbsp of tarragon (dried or chopped); 1 tsp of lemon juice (fresh); salt (fine); black pepper (ground); 2 shallot (finely minced); 50 ml of white wine (dry); 50 ml of white vinegar (or tarragon vinegar)

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This homemade béarnaise sauce recipe elevates your grilled beef cuts or fish with its velvety butter emulsion and intense tarragon aroma. Its silky texture and balanced acidity bring the essential bistro touch to your holiday or Sunday meals.

Total time: 30 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Difficulty: Medium
Per person: €1.05

By the CookinBreak team

Ingredients 9

servings

Estimated cost €4.20

1 cup unsalted butterclarified or melted and lukewarm
3 egg yolksat room temperature
1 ½ tbsp tarragondried or chopped
1 tsp lemon juicefreshoptional
saltfineto taste
black peppergroundto taste

For the reduction

2 shallotfinely minced
3 ½ tbsp white winedry
3 ½ tbsp white vinegaror tarragon vinegar

Equipment

Saucepanfor reducing the shallots and vinegar
Whiskfor vigorous emulsifying
Fine-mesh strainerfor straining the shallot reduction
Mixing bowlfor making the sabayon over a double boiler

Instructions

Tap a number to check off the step, and a time to start a timer.

Melt the unsalted butter over very low heat in a small saucepan, then skim off the foam on the surface to clarify it and let it cool to lukewarm.

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In another saucepan, pour the white vinegar, white wine, shallot pieces and half of the tarragon, then bring to a simmer.

Let reduce over low heat for about , until only a thin layer of concentrated liquid remains in the pan.

Strain the cooled reduction through a fine sieve over a mixing bowl, pressing the shallots well to extract the juices.

Add the egg yolks to the mixing bowl, then set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water without letting the bottom touch the water.

Whisk nonstop in figure eights for , until you get a creamy, frothy sabayon that thickens.

Remove from the heat, then stir in the cooled unsalted butter in a thin stream, very slowly, while continuing to whisk briskly to build the emulsion.

Season with the salt, black pepper, the remaining tarragon and a squeeze of lemon juice, then serve the sauce warm immediately.

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Nutrition facts

per serving · estimate

420kcal

Protein3 g3%
Carbs1 g1%
Fat45 g96%

Share of each nutrient in the calories of one serving.

Good to know

Chef's tip

Make sure the melted butter and the egg yolks are at the same lukewarm temperature when you combine them. If the mixture is too hot, the yolk will scramble, and if it is too cold, the butter will set.

Freezing : Can you freeze this recipe?

Not recommended

The emulsion breaks when thawed, and the sauce turns grainy and separated.

Storage : How long does it keep?

Unstable emulsified sauce. Eat immediately or within 24 hours max in an airtight container in the fridge, but it may separate.

Making ahead : Can you make it the day before?

Same day

Prepare on the day. Keeps 24 hours max chilled, but the texture and emulsion deteriorate quickly.

Reheating : How do you reheat it?

Excessive or fast heat breaks the emulsion. Very gentle, gradual reheating in a double boiler is possible, whisking constantly, but the original texture is rarely recovered.

Variations

Choron sauce: stir in two teaspoons of tomato paste at the end of the emulsion to serve with fish and white meats.
Foyot sauce: add a splash of rich meat glaze to the lukewarm béarnaise to boost the flavor on game or steak.
Fresh herb version: replace the dried tarragon with a mix of fresh tarragon and snipped chervil just before serving.

Mistakes to avoid

Letting the water in the double boiler boil too hard, which cooks the egg yolks and forms lumps you can't fix.
Pouring the melted butter in too fast at first instead of adding it drop by drop, which breaks the emulsion.
Reheating the béarnaise over high heat on a burner, which immediately separates the fats.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if the béarnaise sauce breaks while I'm making it?

Put a teaspoon of cold water or an extra egg yolk in a clean bowl. Whisk vigorously while gradually adding the broken sauce to re-form the creamy emulsion.

Can I use dried tarragon instead of fresh?

Yes, dried tarragon works very well. Let it infuse in the vinegar and white wine reduction to release all its aromas, then add a pinch at the end for looks.

Do I have to clarify the butter for this sauce?

Clarifying gives a finer, more stable sauce, but unsalted butter melted very slowly and cooled to lukewarm works perfectly as long as you leave the milk solids behind at the bottom.

What dishes should I serve this béarnaise sauce with?

It classically goes with a rib steak, a rump steak or a grilled strip steak, but it also elevates pan-seared salmon steaks or roasted potatoes.