Artificial Food Coloring Free Classic Béarnaise
Classic Béarnaise is one of those sauces that turns a simple steak or roasted vegetable into something genuinely special — rich, buttery, and brightened with the anise-like lift of fresh tarragon and a splash of white wine vinegar. Every ingredient here is exactly what it sounds like: real butter, egg yolks, fresh herbs, shallots, and a clean splash of white wine. There are no dyes, no artificial colorings, and no processed shortcuts hiding in the ingredient list, which makes it a surprisingly clean choice for anyone navigating that concern. The technique does the heavy lifting — a careful reduction, a slow emulsification over a double boiler, and a steady hand with the clarified butter — so the golden color you see in the finished sauce comes entirely from the egg yolks and butter, nothing else. It's a classic French preparation that earns its gorgeous hue honestly. Once you've made it from scratch, the jarred versions really do pale in comparison.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the reduction
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp dry white wine
- 2 medium shallots, finely minced
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, roughly chopped (for the reduction)
- ¼ tsp black pepper, coarsely cracked
For the sauce
- 3 pasteurized egg yolks
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, clarified
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped (for finishing)
- 1 tsp fresh chervil, finely chopped (optional)
- salt, to taste
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Clarify the butter: melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat until the milk solids sink and the foam subsides, about 8–10 minutes. Skim the foam from the surface, then carefully pour the clear golden liquid into a heatproof measuring cup, leaving the white milk solids behind. Keep warm.
- 2
Make the reduction: combine the white wine vinegar, white wine, shallots, roughly chopped tarragon, and cracked black pepper in the small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 4–5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl, pressing the solids to extract all the liquid; discard the solids.
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