sauces

Béarnaise Sauce

Name: Béarnaise Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 3 large egg yolks; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm; 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons dry white wine; 1 small shallot, finely minced; 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped (divided); 4 whole black peppercorns, cracked; Kosher salt

Hollandaise's more interesting sibling — built the same way (egg yolks emulsified with butter) but flavored with a tarragon-shallot-vinegar reduction. Béarnaise is the traditional partner for steak, and once you have made it from scratch, you will understand why. Bottled versions do not come close.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 15 min Total: 25 min Serves: 4

Ingredients

3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 small shallot, finely minced
3 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped (divided)
4 whole black peppercorns, cracked
Kosher salt

Instructions

Make the reduction: Combine vinegar, white wine, shallot, 1 tablespoon tarragon, and cracked peppercorns in a small saucepan. Simmer until reduced to about 1 tablespoon of liquid. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids. Let the liquid cool slightly.
Whisk egg yolks and the strained reduction in a heatproof bowl until combined.
Set the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Whisk continuously while adding the melted butter in a very thin stream — exactly as you would for hollandaise.
Continue whisking until the sauce is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. If it gets too thick, add a few drops of warm water.
Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of fresh tarragon and season with salt.
Serve immediately with grilled steak, roasted vegetables, or poached fish.