Bearnaise Sauce
User Reviews
5.0
27 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
4 servings of 1/4 cup each
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
French
Bearnaise Sauce
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Creamy, rich, and silky smooth, Bearnaise sauce is ready in 20 minutes, and it makes any dish taste like it from a high-end restaurant.
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
- 3 egg yolks whisked
- 1/2 cup hot melted butter unsalted
Instructions
- Combine the vinegar, wine, shallots, garlic, lemon zest, tarragon, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and continue boiling until the liquid has reduced to about 2-3 tablespoons.
- Strain the vinegar reduction into a large bowl and set it aside.
- Add about 1-1 1/2 cups of water to a sauce pan, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, to maintain a simmer
- Bring several inches of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low to maintain a bare simmer. Place the vinegar mixture on top of the pot with the simmering water. The bowl should not touch the liquid.
- Very slowly and whisking constantly, add the egg yolks into the vinegar mixture. Whisk vigorously until the mixture thickened and turned a pale yellow color.
- Remove the egg yolk mixture from heat, and slowly pour the hot butter into it while continuing to whisk vigorously. Do not stop whisking until all of the butter is throughly incorporated into the sauce. The mixture should be smooth, thick and creamy. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The most important thing to remember about bearnaise sauce is to control the heat. That means keeping it low and slow. Otherwise, it will separate and turn grainy or lumpy. Using direct heat when making this sauce is a definite no-no. The best idea is to use a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a simmering pot of water, as I do in this recipe.
- The water needs to be at a gentle simmer when cooking the yolks, or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs instead of a smooth sauce. One thing I like about using a bowl over a pot of water is that I can remove the bowl from the pot if I feel it's getting too hot. Patience is the key when making this sauce.
- Use clarified butter to achieve an extra-smooth sauce.
- Add the butter slowly. Use a spoon and add one spoonful at a time, whisking as you go.
- If the sauce is separated, heat a fresh egg yolk in another bowl over simmering water and whisk the lumpy sauce into it.
- Be sure to serve it right away for the smoothest sauce and keep it warm until you're ready to serve.
- Make sure the sauce is reduced before adding the egg yolks.
- Don’t skip the tarragon. This is what gives bearnaise its signature flavor.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
27 reviews
Excellent
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