Classic Béarnaise Sauce Recipe (The Real Way, With Tarragon)
A proper béarnaise sauce recipe with the technique explained clearly, so the emulsion doesn't break and the tarragon flavor actually comes through.
Béarnaise sauce has a reputation for being difficult that's mostly undeserved. It's an egg yolk and butter emulsion flavored with a tarragon and shallot reduction, and once you understand what's actually happening to the eggs as you whisk, it becomes a lot more forgiving than most recipes let on.
Classic Bearnaise Sauce
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Makes: about 1 cup, serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp dry white wine
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 2 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped, divided
- 4 black peppercorns, cracked
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
- Salt, to taste
- Small squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, white wine, shallot, half the tarragon, and cracked peppercorns. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until reduced to about 2 tablespoons of liquid, roughly 6 to 8 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids, and set the reduction aside to cool slightly.
- Set up a double boiler: a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water directly.
- In the bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cold water and the strained reduction until pale and slightly thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes of steady whisking.
- Keeping the water at a bare simmer (not a boil - this is the main way béarnaise breaks), continue whisking the yolk mixture constantly. It should slowly thicken and become foamy. This takes patience - expect 4 to 6 minutes of nonstop whisking.
- Once the yolks have thickened to a texture like loose custard and coat the back of a spoon, remove the bowl from the heat. Begin adding the warm melted butter in a very slow, thin stream, whisking constantly. Adding it too fast is the other common way to break the sauce.
- Continue whisking in the butter until fully incorporated and the sauce is thick, glossy, and holds its shape when drizzled.
- Stir in the remaining fresh tarragon and season with salt to taste. A small squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens the sauce if it tastes flat.
- Serve immediately, or hold it in a warm (not hot) spot for up to 30 minutes, whisking occasionally.
Notes
Béarnaise doesn't reheat well and doesn't hold for more than an hour or so before separating - make it close to serving time. If the sauce does break (it will look curdled and greasy rather than smooth), whisk a tablespoon of cold water into a clean bowl and slowly whisk the broken sauce into it a little at a time - this often brings it back together.
Why the Butter Temperature Matters
The butter should be warm, not hot, when you add it - around body temperature is ideal. Butter that's too hot can scramble the egg yolks on contact; butter that's too cold won't emulsify properly and will make the sauce seize up. Melt it ahead of time and let it cool slightly while you're working on the yolks.
What to Serve It With
Béarnaise is the classic partner for steak, particularly a grilled or pan-seared cut like ribeye or filet mignon. It's equally good over roasted or grilled asparagus, poached or grilled fish, and even a simple soft-boiled egg on toast. Anywhere hollandaise would work, béarnaise is a more flavorful option thanks to the tarragon.
Troubleshooting
- Sauce is too thin: The yolks likely weren't cooked enough before adding butter. Continue whisking over the double boiler a bit longer next time before starting the butter.
- Sauce broke and looks greasy: Too much heat or butter added too fast. Try the cold-water rescue method above.
- Sauce tastes flat: Needs more salt, a touch more vinegar reduction, or the lemon juice finish.
- Sauce is too thick: Whisk in a few drops of warm water to loosen it.
If you're new to cooking with tarragon, this recipe is the best possible starting point - it puts the herb front and center rather than as a background note, so you learn exactly what it should taste like before using it elsewhere. For more ways to use it once you've got a feel for the flavor, see the complete tarragon guide.
Latest
