Hazelnut Free Classic Béarnaise
Few sauces feel as luxurious as a properly made béarnaise — silky, buttery, and perfumed with fresh tarragon in a way that instantly elevates a simple steak or roasted vegetables into something genuinely special. The process starts with a sharp, aromatic reduction of white wine vinegar, dry white wine, shallots, and tarragon, which becomes the flavor backbone of the entire sauce. Clarified butter is then whisked in drop by drop over a gentle double boiler until the emulsion builds into something glossy and spoonable. Because every ingredient here is straightforward — fresh herbs, egg yolks, butter, a splash of lemon — there's no need to scan labels or worry about hidden nut-based additives sneaking in. Tree nuts and their oils have absolutely no place in a classic French mother sauce, and this recipe keeps things exactly that pure. A finishing handful of finely chopped tarragon and optional chervil gives the sauce its signature anise-forward brightness. Make it once and you'll understand why chefs treat béarnaise as a benchmark of technique.
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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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