French · Sauce · All year
Béarnaise
4.6 · community
10m
Prep
15m
Cook
Advanced
Level
270
Energy
Hollandaise's worldly sibling: the same silken emulsion sharpened with a tarragon-shallot vinegar reduction. The greatest steak sauce ever codified.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
4
Before you start
Mise en place
Yield: About 250 ml
Equipment
Small saucepan
Whisk
Prep checklist
Eggs — yolks only
Butter — melted, warm
Shallot — minced
Tarragon — leaves chopped, stems reserved
Whole Black Peppercorns — cracked
3 steps
Method
1
Simmer vinegar, shallot, tarragon stems, and peppercorns until reduced to a scant tablespoon, 3–4 minutes. Strain and cool slightly.
4 min — timer available in cooking mode
Why this works
This reduction IS béarnaise — it carries the perfume. Don't reduce it to nothing; you need that concentrated spoonful.
2
Whisk the yolks with the reduction over barely simmering water until pale and ribboning, 2–3 minutes.
3 min — timer available in cooking mode
3
Off the heat, stream in warm butter, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy. Fold in the chopped tarragon leaves and season.
From the pass
Chef's notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
When it goes sideways
Common mistakes
The sauce broke into oily puddles
Too much fat too fast, or too much heat. Whisk a tablespoon of warm water in a clean bowl and beat the broken sauce into it a spoonful at a time — you're starting a new emulsion and feeding it the old one.
It's too thick
Thickness means crowded, not broken — loosen with warm water a teaspoon at a time.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Airtight jar in the fridge, 3–5 days. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of starch-thickened sauces to stop a skin forming.
Freezing
Most sauces freeze 2–3 months; freeze in ice-cube trays for single portions. Emulsified butter/egg sauces don't freeze — they break on thawing.
Reheating
Reheat gently over low heat, whisking; butter- and egg-based sauces split when boiled. Loosen with a spoonful of warm water or stock.
Make ahead
Most sauces keep 3–5 days refrigerated and freeze in ice-cube trays for instant single portions. Emulsified butter sauces are best made within the hour.
Wine pairing
Follows the dish it dresses.
Beer pairing
Follows the dish it dresses.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
Filet mignon or ribeye
Steak frites
Grilled salmon, unexpectedly
Garnish
A final swirl of butter or oil
Fresh herbs
Taste map
Flavour profile
Sweet
1
Salty
3
Sour
2
Bitter
0
Umami
4
Heat
0
Per serving
Nutrition
270
kcal
2g
protein
1g
carbs
29g
fat
3g
fiber
520mg
sodium
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