How to Make Béarnaise Sauce

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: July 5, 2020 References Tested

Béarnaise sauce is a rich and creamy addition to many steak dishes, and it also pairs well with poached eggs or roast fish. Make the shallot reduction first by cooking minced shallots in melted butter, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Then blend together egg yolks, lemon juice, butter, and water to make the base for the sauce. Combine the shallot reduction and the sauce with an addition of fresh tarragon, and enjoy this delicious condiment that you can add to a variety of dishes.

Ingredients

1 tbsp (14.2 g) and 1 cup (226.8 g) of unsalted butter, separated
2 small shallots
Kosher salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp (29.6 ml) of white wine vinegar
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp (14.8 ml) of lemon juice
1 tbsp (14.8 ml) of water
2 stems of fresh tarragon

Makes 1 cup (240 mL) of sauce

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:
Cooking the Shallot Reduction

1
Peel the papery skin off the 2 shallots and use a knife to mince them. Remove the root and the tip of the shallots before peeling off the skin. Slice each shallot in half and cut them into slices lengthwise. Then, cut across the slices to dice the shallot finely.^{[1]
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- This should create approximately 3 tbsp (30 g) of minced shallots.
2
Melt 1 tbsp (14.2 g) of unsalted butter over a medium heat. Place the butter into a small saucepan. Let it heat until it has melted which should take 2-3 minutes.^{[2]
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- Stir the butter occasionally as it melts.
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3
Add the minced shallots and season the ingredients with salt and pepper. Carefully pour 3 tbsp (30 g) of minced shallots into the melted butter in the saucepan. Season the shallots to taste and make sure that they are coated in the melted butter.^{[3]
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- Use a wooden spoon to stir the minced shallots and to coat them in butter.
4
Add white wine vinegar to the saucepan and cook it for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat down to a medium-low temperature and stir in 2 tbsp (29.6 ml) of white wine vinegar. Cook the ingredients until the vinegar has evaporated which should take approximately 3-4 minutes.^{[4]
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5
Cook the ingredients over a low heat for 5 minutes. Stir the shallots continuously while they cook. Wait until they appear semi-transparent and feel tender before removing the saucepan from the heat.^{[5]
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6
Place the ingredients into small bowl and let them cool. Use a spoon to transfer the shallot reduction from the saucepan and into a small bowl. Place the bowl on your work surface and let the ingredients cool while you make the rest of the sauce.^{[6]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:
Blending the Sauce

1
Finely chop 2 stems of tarragon. Run the stem under cool, running water, and pat it dry with a paper towel or tea towel. Hold the tip of the stem and run your fingers down toward the base to remove the leaves. Use a knife to finely chop the leaves into small pieces.^{[7]
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- Discard the stem as you don't need to use it.
- 2 stems of fresh tarragon should create approximately 1 tbsp (4 g) of finely chopped tarragon.
2
Fill the blender jug with hot water. Take the jug off the blender, and fill it up to the maximum line. Place the lid on the blender, and set it aside.^{[8]
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3
Melt the remaining 1 cup (226.8 g) of butter in a small saucepan. Heat the butter over a medium heat. Cook the butter until it’s foamy which should take 3-4 minutes.^{[9]
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- Stir the butter with a wooden spoon as it melts.
- Pour the butter into a spouted measuring cup once it has melted.^{[10]
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- Alternatively, you can melt the butter in the microwave if you prefer. Set the timer for short bursts of around 10 seconds so that you can stir the butter as it melts.
4
Drain the blender and blend the egg yolks, lemon juice, and water. Drain the hot water from the blender and then dry it well. Blend together 2 egg yolks, 1 tbsp (14.8 ml) of lemon juice, and 1 tbsp (14.8 ml) of water until the mixture is smooth.^{[11]
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- Use a high speed when you blend the ingredients. Approximately 10 seconds should be long enough to combine them well.^{[12]
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5
Pour the melted butter into the blender while it’s running. Take the lid insert off the blender lid and set it aside. Run the blender on a low speed and slowly pour a very thin stream of melted butter droplets into the mixture.^{[13]
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- There will be milk solids left at the bottom of the measuring cup. Rinse the measuring cup out and discard these.
6
Blend the mixture for a further 2-3 minutes. Replace the lid insert on the blender. Blend the sauce until it looks rich and creamy.^{[14]
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- The sauce should be a slightly loose consistency. It won’t be runny, yet it also won’t be as thick as mayonnaise.^{[15]
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7
Place the sauce in a bowl and stir through the reduction and tarragon. Turn off the blender and pour the sauce out of the jug and into a bowl. Use a whisk to stir the shallot reduction through the sauce. Add 1 tbsp (4 g) of finely-chopped fresh tarragon to the sauce and whisk it thoroughly.^{[16]
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- You can season the sauce with salt and black pepper again if you prefer.
8
Serve the sauce immediately or keep it small pot for up to 1 hour. Béarnaise sauce is best when it is made directly before serving. If you need to wait to use the sauce, transfer it into a small pot with a lid, and keep it on your work surface.^{[17]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:
Using Béarnaise Sauce

1
Pour the sauce over steak to add richness. Béarnaise sauce is a delicious addition to eye fillet or sirloin steak. Cook the steak until it's medium rare, and serve the dish with vegetables such as peas, mushrooms, and potatoes. Drizzle the sauce over the top for a rich and elegant dish.^{[18]
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2
Drizzle béarnaise on top of fish for a light and elegant meal. Gratin made with cod or a different type of white fish is made even better when it's topped with béarnaise sauce. Roasted white fish with steamed vegetables also pairs well with this sauce.^{[19]
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- Fish strudel such as salmon strudel also goes well with a drizzle of béarnaise sauce when it's served.^{[20]
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3
Top poached eggs with béarnaise sauce for a change from hollandaise. Poach the eggs in a small saucepan. Serve the poached eggs over English muffin halves with a drizzle of béarnaise sauce.^{[21]
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- For a standout dish, serve poached eggs on steak with a topping of béarnaise sauce.^{[22]
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4
Serve the sauce over chicken for a simple but rich meal. Grilled chicken with mushrooms and carrots or Cajun chicken with potatoes both pair well with béarnaise sauce. A drizzle of the sauce over an open chicken sandwich works well too.^{[23]
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