Mustard Free Ginger-Lime Béarnaise
Classic béarnaise is a dream sauce — but the traditional version typically calls for tarragon and sometimes prepared condiments that can sneak mustard into the mix. This bright, aromatic riff sidesteps all of that by building its flavor base from fresh ginger, lime juice, dry white wine, and rice wine vinegar, so every ingredient is completely transparent and easy to verify. The result is a silky, glossy emulsion with a citrusy zing and a gentle warmth from the ginger that feels both luxurious and a little unexpected. It pairs beautifully with grilled steak, roasted vegetables, or anything that could use a rich, buttery drizzle with a bit of personality. The technique here is classic French — a reduced liquid base, egg yolks coaxed over a bain-marie, then cold butter whisked in cube by cube until the sauce turns thick and glossy. It sounds fussy, but the instructions walk you through every step, including hitting the food-safe temperature for the yolks so you can serve it with confidence. The double hit of ginger (once in the reduction, once stirred in at the end) gives the sauce real depth without any heat that overwhelms. If you've been missing a proper finishing sauce because store-bought options always carry a mustard risk, this one is absolutely worth the effort.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the reduction
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 2 tbsp dry white wine
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated (about a 1-inch piece)
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- ¼ tsp white pepper
For the sauce
- 3 pasteurized egg yolks
- 1 tbsp cold water
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ tsp lime zest
- salt, to taste
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
Instructions
- 1
Combine the lime juice, white wine, rice wine vinegar, grated ginger, minced shallot, and white pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon, 4–5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl, pressing on the solids; discard the solids. Let the reduction cool for 2 minutes.
- 2
Add the pasteurized egg yolks and cold water to the bowl with the cooled reduction and whisk until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
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