Honey Free Béarnaise Sauce
Classic French béarnaise is one of those sauces that feels almost impossibly luxurious — silky, buttery, and fragrant with fresh tarragon in a way that makes everything it touches taste like a special occasion. The good news is that every single ingredient here is naturally free of honey, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or swap anything out. The technique does the heavy lifting: a sharp white wine and vinegar reduction forms the flavor backbone, clarified butter provides the rich, stable fat, and pasteurized egg yolks are whisked over gentle heat until they reach a safe, food-grade temperature before the emulsion comes together. Adding the butter drop by drop at first is the real secret — it coaxes the sauce into that glossy, spoonable consistency that clings beautifully to steak, asparagus, or roasted vegetables. Finishing with freshly chopped tarragon and optional chervil keeps the herbal brightness front and center rather than letting it cook away. This is the kind of sauce that turns a weeknight dinner into something worth remembering.
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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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