Pescatarian Béarnaise Sauce
Few sauces command as much respect in the kitchen as a properly made béarnaise, and this one delivers that glossy, herb-flecked richness that makes everything it touches taste like a restaurant plate. The process starts with a sharp, fragrant reduction of dry white wine, white wine vinegar, shallots, and fresh tarragon — that concentrated base is what separates a true béarnaise from a plain butter sauce. Clarifying the butter before emulsifying it into the yolks is the move that gives the sauce its silky, stable body without any of the watery separation that can ruin lesser versions. Whisking the yolks over a double boiler until they hit 160°F keeps things food-safe while building the thick, pale base that holds everything together. Because every ingredient here is either a fresh herb, a dairy product, or an egg, this sauce fits naturally into a pescatarian kitchen with zero substitutions or workarounds needed. Finish it with finely chopped tarragon and optional chervil and you have something bright, buttery, and deeply aromatic that pairs beautifully with fish, vegetables, or a perfectly poached egg. Make it once and you will understand why classic French cooking built an entire reputation around a sauce this good.
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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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