Pork Free Classic Béarnaise
Béarnaise is one of those sauces that feels like a luxury restaurant secret, but it's completely achievable at home with a little patience and the right technique. The base here is a sharp, aromatic reduction of white wine vinegar, dry white wine, shallots, and fresh tarragon — that concentrated liquid is what gives béarnaise its signature brightness and sets it apart from a plain hollandaise. Pasteurized egg yolks are whisked over a gentle double boiler until thick and safe, then the warm clarified butter goes in drop by drop until the whole thing transforms into something glossy, rich, and absolutely spoonable. Fresh tarragon and optional chervil stirred in at the end keep the herbal notes vivid and fragrant rather than muted. Every single ingredient in this recipe is naturally free of pork and pork-derived products, so there's no need to audit labels or swap anything out — it's simply a clean, classical French sauce as it was always meant to be made. Spoon it over a seared steak, grilled fish, or roasted vegetables and it will genuinely elevate whatever is on the plate.
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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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