This yummy Bearnaise sauce recipe is rich, fluffy, and tangy. This sauce can be used on a variety of dishes, like steak and seafood.

Interested in more savory sauce recipes? Try out my Lemon Butter Sauce, Pork Medallions with Tarragon Cream Sauce, and Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce.

Bearnaise (also spelled Béarnaise) sauce is an extremely versatile condiment. It is generally associated with steak or Filet Mignon. Its name is related to the province of Béarn, France.

Bearnaise is loosely related to hollandaise sauce. Hollandaise is an egg yolk mixture emulsified with unsalted butter and acid. Hollandaise sauce is also one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine, meaning it can be used to make a range of other sauces.

Bearnaise builds on hollandaise with egg yolks, butter, white wine vinegar, shallots, and tarragon. The mildness of these flavorings make it perfect for chicken and beef as well as seafood. It is especially popular for grilled or broiled meats, such as Broiled Lamb Chops.

What is in Bearnaise sauce?

Minced Shallot
White Wine Vinegar
Cracked Black Pepper
Tarragon Leaves
Egg Yolks
Unsalted Butter
Lemon Juice
Kosher Salt

Black tray fill of ingredients: egg yolks, unsalted butter, tarragon leaves, lemon, minched shallot, and white wine vinegar

How to make Bearnaise sauce:

In a small skillet, add the shallots, vinegar, pepper and 1 TBSP tarragon leaves and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and place in a metal mixing bowl. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, fill a small saucepan with an inch or two of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. To the cooled shallot mixture, add the egg yolks and 1 TBSP water. Whisk to combine.

Place the metal bowl over the saucepan of boiling water and turn the heat down to low. Keep an eye to be sure the bowl isn’t touching the boiling water.

Whisk the egg-shallot mixture until it begins to thicken, about 5-6 minutes. Gradually whisk in the butter, a splash at a time. Continue whisking until the sauce has emulsified. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and remaining 1 tsp. tarragon leaves. Season with salt, to taste. Serve.

Recipe tips:

Sauce cannot be reheated. However, it can be held at temperature in a sous vide water bath at 130 degrees for up to 4 hours. Add the sauce to a mason jar and place it in the bath.
If the sauce gets too hot while whisking, you’ll end up with scrambled eggs.

What to serve with Bearnaise sauce:

Steak with bearnaise sauce drizzled on top, on a black plate with fork and knife

Wine pairings for Bearnaise sauce

Full-bodied Chardonnay
Viognier

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More homemade sauce recipes:

Bearnaise Sauce

Perfect to be paired with steak, this Bearnaise Sauce Recipe is flavored with fresh cracked blacked pepper and tarragon leaves.

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Servings: 4

Created by Platings and Pairings

Ingredients

▢ 2 tbsp minced shallot (1 small shallot)
▢ ¼ cup white wine vinegar
▢ ½ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
▢ 1 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves (plus 1 teaspoon)
▢ 2 egg yolks
▢ 12 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
▢ 1 tsp lemon juice
▢ Kosher salt (to taste)

Instructions

In a small skillet, add the shallots, vinegar, pepper and 1 TBSP tarragon leaves and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and place in a metal mixing bowl. Allow to cool.
Meanwhile, fill a small saucepan with an inch or two of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
To the cooled shallot mixture, add the egg yolks and 1 TBSP water. Whisk to combine.
Place the metal bowl over the saucepan of boiling water and turn the heat down to low. Keep an eye to be sure the bowl isn’t touching the boiling water.
Whisk the egg-shallot mixture until it begins to thicken, about 5-6 minutes.
Gradually whisk in the butter, a splash at a time. Continue whisking until the sauce has emulsified.
Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and remaining 1 tsp. tarragon leaves. Season with salt, to taste. Serve.

Notes

Sauce cannot be reheated.

However, it can be held at temperature in a sous vide water bath at 130 degrees for up to 4 hours. Add the sauce to a mason jar and place it in the bath.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Nutrition

Bearnaise Sauce Recipe