Brazil Nut Free Béarnaise Sauce
Few sauces command as much respect — or as much butter — as a classic béarnaise, and this version delivers the full, glossy, restaurant-worthy result right in your own kitchen. The process starts with a sharp, aromatic reduction of dry white wine, white wine vinegar, shallots, and fresh tarragon, which becomes the flavor backbone that sets béarnaise apart from its cousin hollandaise. Clarifying the butter before emulsifying it is the quiet secret here: removing the milk solids gives you a pure, stable fat that folds into the egg yolks smoothly and holds without breaking. Whisking the yolks over barely simmering water until they reach 160°F keeps everything food-safe while building that thick, pale, ribbon-like base the sauce needs before a single drop of butter goes in. The finishing hit of finely chopped fresh tarragon and optional chervil makes the whole thing taste bright and herbaceous rather than heavy, even though it's essentially a cup of butter in a bowl. If you're navigating tree nut allergies or sensitivities, this sauce is a genuinely safe indulgence — every ingredient is straightforward, with no hidden nut oils or ambiguous pantry additions to second-guess. Spoon it over a seared steak, grilled fish, or roasted asparagus and it will absolutely steal the show.
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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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