Nitrate & Nitrite Free Béarnaise Sauce
Béarnaise is one of those sauces that turns a simple piece of grilled steak or roasted fish into something genuinely special — buttery, herbaceous, and just a little tangy from the white wine and vinegar reduction. Every ingredient here is clean and straightforward: fresh tarragon, shallots, egg yolks, and clarified butter, with no cured meats, processed condiments, or packaged shortcuts that could sneak in unwanted preservatives. That matters more than you might think, because many store-bought sauces and even restaurant versions can contain additives you'd never expect in something that sounds this classic. The technique is the star — building a fragrant reduction first, then coaxing the egg yolks into a silky, stable emulsion over gentle heat before streaming in warm clarified butter drop by patient drop. The result is a sauce so rich and velvety it barely needs anything else on the plate. Fresh chervil is optional but worth it if you can find it, adding a subtle anise note that plays beautifully off the tarragon. Once you've made this from scratch, it's hard to go back to anything that comes in a packet.
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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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