Béarnaise Sauce

Name: Béarnaise Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 2 shallots, very finely chopped; 100ml white wine vinegar; 60ml dry white wine; 1 small bunch fresh tarragon, stems and leaves separated; 6 black peppercorns, lightly crushed; 3 large egg yolks; 200g unsalted butter, melted and kept warm; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1/4 tsp fine salt

France

Béarnaise is traditionally said to have been created in 1836 at the Pavillon Henri IV restaurant near Paris and named for Béarn, the birthplace of King Henri IV. It is closely related to hollandaise, with the vinegar and tarragon reduction as the difference.

The classic French steak sauce — a glossy, buttery emulsion of egg yolks and butter, sharpened with a tarragon, shallot and vinegar reduction.

Photo: Alexander Guy

Prep

15 mins

Cook

15 mins

Difficulty

Hard

Calories

310 kcal

Serves

Calories are an estimate based on ingredients used

Ingredients

2shallots, very finely chopped

100mlwhite wine vinegar

60mldry white wine

1 small bunchfresh tarragon, stems and leaves separated

6black peppercorns, lightly crushed

3large egg yolks

200gunsalted butter, melted and kept warm

1 tsplemon juice

1/4 tspfine salt

Method

Simmer the shallots, vinegar, wine, tarragon stems and peppercorns in a small pan until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Strain and let it cool for a few minutes.

Put the egg yolks and the reduction in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and leaves a ribbon trail.

Take the bowl off the heat. Whisk in the warm melted butter a few drops at a time, then in a thin steady stream, leaving the milky solids behind in the pan.

Finely chop the tarragon leaves and stir them in. Season with salt and lemon juice.

Serve straight away, or keep warm in a bowl set over hot (not boiling) water for up to 30 minutes.

Chef's Tip

Keep the heat gentle — scrambled yolks cannot be rescued. If the sauce splits, whisk a teaspoon of warm water into a clean bowl and slowly whisk the split sauce back in.

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