Beef Free Béarnaise Sauce
Rich, velvety, and deeply aromatic, this classic French emulsion sauce is built on a base of white wine, white wine vinegar, shallots, and fresh tarragon — no meat, no broth, nothing that would raise a red flag for anyone avoiding beef. The entire flavor foundation comes from that carefully reduced wine-and-vinegar mixture, which gives the sauce its signature tangy brightness before a single drop of butter goes in. Speaking of butter: clarifying it yourself is the move here, and the recipe walks you through it step by step so you end up with that gorgeous, pure golden fat that emulsifies into something almost impossibly silky. Whisking the yolks over a double boiler until they hit 160°F means you're not just building texture — you're hitting the food-safety mark for egg-yolk sauces, which is a genuinely reassuring detail. The finishing hit of finely chopped fresh tarragon (and optional chervil) makes the whole thing taste alive and herbaceous in a way that bottled sauces simply cannot replicate. Drape it over roasted vegetables, poached fish, or eggs and you have a dish that feels genuinely special without a single compromise on what you're keeping off the plate.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the reduction
- 3 tbsp dry white wine
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 medium shallots, finely minced
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, roughly chopped (for reduction)
- ¼ tsp black pepper, coarsely cracked
For the sauce
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 3 pasteurized egg yolks
- 1 tbsp cold water
- ¼ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped (for finishing)
- 1 tsp fresh chervil, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the white wine, white wine vinegar, minced shallots, roughly chopped tarragon, and cracked black pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tbsp, 5–7 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid; discard the solids. Let the reduction cool for 2–3 minutes until no longer steaming.
- 2
Melt the butter in the small saucepan over medium-low heat, then increase the heat slightly and cook until the foam subsides and the milk solids settle to the bottom, about 5 minutes. Skim off any foam from the surface. Carefully pour the clear golden butter into a liquid measuring cup or small pitcher, leaving the white milk solids behind in the pan; discard the solids. Keep the clarified butter warm.
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