A descendant of hollandaise, béarnaise is a traditional French sauce with a thick, creamy texture and rich flavor. Built on a basic emulsion of egg yolks, butter, and acid, béarnaise differs from its Mother Sauce in two major ways: first is the source of acid. Classic hollandaise sauce is made with lemon juice, then seasoned simply with salt, and sometimes white pepper and cayenne. Béarnaise instead relies on punchy white wine vinegar, sometimes in concert with fresh lemon. The second major difference is that béarnaise sauce is flavored with sautéed shallots, black pepper, and licorice-like tarragon, occasionally among other fresh herbs.
Some béarnaise recipes call for clarified butter, but sticks of unsalted butter work just as well here (for the richest béarnaise, seek out butter with at least 82% butterfat). Instead of whisking by hand to emulsify the sauce, this recipe streamlines the process with a blender—preferably a high-power model like a Vitamix, but an immersion blender will work too. The process is the same as making a blender hollandaise: Stream in the melted butter slowly—very slowly—to emulsify the egg mixture. Pour the butter in too fast and the sauce will split.
Béarnaise sauce is commonly paired with grilled fish or steak, but it’s just as delicious on roasted vegetables or eggs Benedict. Spoon this silky, herby sauce over roasted asparagus, steamed broccoli, or grilled mushrooms for a sophisticated dinner party side.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. plus 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces
3 medium shallots, finely chopped
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 large egg yolks*
1 Tbsp. (or more) fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. finely chopped tarragon
Preparation
Step 1
Melt 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 medium shallots, finely chopped, and stir to coat; season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in 2 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vinegar is evaporated, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring often, until shallots are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes longer. Scrape shallot reduction into a small bowl and let cool.
Step 2
Meanwhile, fill a blender with hot water to warm it. Melt remaining 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces, in a clean small saucepan over medium heat. Once butter starts to foam, pour into a measuring glass.
Step 3
Pour off water from blender; dry well. Add 2 large egg yolks*, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and 1 Tbsp. water and blend until mixture is smooth. With motor running, very gradually stream in melted butter, leaving milk solids at bottom of measuring glass behind. Blend until a smooth, creamy sauce forms.
Step 4
Pour sauce into a medium bowl. Stir in shallot reduction and 1 Tbsp. finely chopped tarragon. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice if needed.
Do Ahead: Sauce be made 1 hour ahead. Cover and let sit at room temperature.
*Raw egg is not recommended for infants, the elderly, people who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems...or folks who don’t like raw eggs.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in March 2012. Head this way for some French desserts to serve for the final course →
