BHA & BHT Free Classic Béarnaise
Rich, velvety, and deeply aromatic with fresh tarragon and a whisper of chervil, this classic French sauce is the kind of thing that makes a simple steak feel like a restaurant-worthy event. What makes it a natural fit for anyone avoiding synthetic preservatives is straightforward: every single ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, from the dry white wine and white wine vinegar down to the clarified butter and fresh herbs. No shelf-stable emulsifiers, no packaged shortcuts — just a careful reduction, a double boiler, and a steady hand with the whisk. The technique of clarifying the butter yourself is actually one of the keys to the sauce's silky texture, and it means you know exactly what's going into the pan. Pasteurized egg yolks are whisked to a safe 160°F before the butter ever touches them, so the process is as careful as it is classic. A squeeze of lemon juice and a final flurry of hand-chopped tarragon bring everything into bright, herbaceous focus. Once you've made it from scratch, the bottled versions will never tempt you again.
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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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