Béarnaise Sauce
A classic French sauce that adds a rich, creamy touch to steak and other dishes, made simply with this fast and easy method.
Ingredients
Infused Vinegar Ingredients
- 1.5 tbsp white wine (dry, not too fruity, sweet, or woody)
- 1.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 0.25 tsp black pepper (coarsely crushed)
- 1 small eschallot (peeled and finely sliced)
- 2 sprigs tarragon
Main Sauce Ingredients
- 3 pieces egg yolks (at room temperature)
- 0.25 tsp salt (kosher/cooking salt)
- 225 g unsalted butter (cut into 1cm cubes)
- 0.5 tbsp tarragon leaves (finely chopped)
- 0.5 tbsp chervil (finely chopped)
Instructions
Infused Vinegar Preparation
- Place the infused vinegar ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the stove and let it stand for 5 minutes to infuse.
- Strain, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. You should have around 1 tbsp of liquid. Cool for 5 minutes before use.
Quick Clarified Butter
- Place butter in a jug and microwave until melted (1 – 1½ minutes on high). Watch it carefully so it doesn't explode!
- Stand for 30 seconds until the milky whites settle at the bottom. The clarified butter will sit above it.
- Pour off 175g (3/4 cup) of the clarified butter, discarding the milky whites. Use the hot butter in this recipe.
- As an alternative, you can melt 175g (3/4 cup) of ghee, which is the same as clarified butter.
Béarnaise Sauce Preparation
- Place egg yolks, infused vinegar, and salt in a tall, narrow container for your stick blender. Blitz briefly to combine.
- While the stick blender is on high, slowly drizzle the butter in over about a minute.
- After all the butter is in, blitz for a further 10 seconds, moving the stick up and down.
- For thickness, add 1 tablespoon of water and blitz to incorporate. Add more water as needed until the sauce is thick but can ooze across a steak.
- Stir in tarragon and chervil.
- Use immediately, or keep warm until required. A thermos will keep it warm for about an hour.
Notes
Make sure your egg yolks are at room temperature to help them blend better. Use quality ingredients, particularly butter and vinegar, to enhance flavor. Don’t rush the butter addition for a creamy consistency. Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.