This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
Béarnaise sauce
This very tasty sauce, flavoured with tarragon, chervil and shallot, with its hint of acidity, is perfect for grilled fish or meats. Its well-known as a difficult sauce, but here are all the tips that you need to succeed.
358 K 4.3/5 (15 reviews)
1 hour 6 min.
Easy
12 people
10 IngredientsLast modified on: May 22th 2016
For 12 people, you will need:
4 
1 lb + 2.2 oz 
2 bunches Chervil
2 bunches 
7.0 oz 
7.0 oz white (spirit) vinegar
2 pinches 
2 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 40 min.
Cooking: 30 min.
All in all: 1 hour 6 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
Peel and chop finely 2 shallots.
Chop tarragon and chervil finely.
Reserve one teaspoon of chopped herbs for garnishing.
Chop tarragon and chervil finely.
Reserve one teaspoon of chopped herbs for garnishing.
Stage 2 - 1 min.
Put shallot and herbs in a small pan, salt and pepper generously.
Stage 3 - 15 min.
Pour in 7.0 oz white (spirit) vinegar and 7.0 oz dry white wine.
Reduce over low heat until you are left with about 1/5 of the original volume.
Reduce over low heat until you are left with about 1/5 of the original volume.
Stage 4 - 3 min.
Stage 5
You should get only 2 to 4 tablespoons of this tasty liquid which is the base for your sauce.
This base could be made several days beforehand, and kept in a sealed jar in the fridge.
This base could be made several days beforehand, and kept in a sealed jar in the fridge.
Stage 6 - 5 min.
On the day, melt 1 lb + 2.2 oz butter, remove the foam which rises to the top and discard it.
Your goal is to clarify the butter, removing as far as possbile the white impurities (whey) which will be left on the bottom.
Leave to cool.
Your goal is to clarify the butter, removing as far as possbile the white impurities (whey) which will be left on the bottom.
Leave to cool.
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Prepare a bain-marie.
Put 4 egg yolks, sauce base, and 2 pinches flour in the bowl over the bain-marie.
Put 4 egg yolks, sauce base, and 2 pinches flour in the bowl over the bain-marie.
Stage 8 - 10 min.
Put over low heat, and beat to form a sabayon.
Stage 9
Continue to beat until it thickens, and "holds" the whisk.
Stage 10
Then add the melted butter, a little at a time, while beating continously.
Stage 11 - 15 min.
Your Béarnaise will develop its texture. Continue until all the butter is added, apart from the very last bit in the container with all the impurities (discard).
Stage 12 - 2 min.
And finally add the spoonful of herbs.
Serve without too much delay. If your dish is not ready, leave the sauce to wait in the bain-marie, not too hot, with a lid.
Serve without too much delay. If your dish is not ready, leave the sauce to wait in the bain-marie, not too hot, with a lid.
Remarks
Some technical words: Béarnaise is a sauce of the warm emulsified kind (like hollandaise and mousseline), which means a hot base, here a well-flavoured sabayon, where butter is added to get this smooth texture.
Usually chefs make bearnaise in a different way: everything in a single pan, without a bain-marie. Faster, but more difficult.
Usually chefs make bearnaise in a different way: everything in a single pan, without a bain-marie. Faster, but more difficult.
Keeping: A few minutes, not more.
Source: Nicolas.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 20 RDI=7 % | 10 RDI=1 % | 450 RDI=70 % | 4,130 RDI=210 % | 17,310 RDI: 210 % |
| Per 100 g | 1 RDI=1 % | 1 RDI=0 % | 40 RDI=6 % | 390 RDI=20 % | 1,620 RDI: 20 % |
| Per person | 1 RDI=1 % | 1 RDI=0 % | 40 RDI=6 % | 340 RDI=20 % | 1,440 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 12 people : 10.85 €
- Per person : 0.95 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Butter
Like these other recipes: How to prevent butter burning during cooking, Crispy rolls with chicken and leek, Artichoke Soup, Beurre d'escargot, Turban of sole with langoustines, ... See them all 477
Dry white wine
Like these other recipes: Melt-in-the mouth meat and vegetables in a sealed casserole, Fillets of sole Dieppoise, Creamy risotto with vegetables , Mussels marinière, Potatoes with prawns, ... See them all 68
White (spirit) vinegar
Like these other recipes: Fresh pasta dough, Fish petals, vegetables julienne, and beurre blanc, Pickled gherkins, How to prepare sorrel, How to prepare cabbage, ... See them all 18
Egg yolk
Like these other recipes: Lemon Confectioner's Custard, Pistachio confectioner's custard, Breton sablé biscuit dough, Dauphinoise potatoes with Serano ham, Baked potatoes with poached egg and tuna sauce , ... See them all 74
Other recipes you may also like
New tiramisu
This new version of tiramisu is easier, and in my opinion much better. You will certainly appreciate, like me, the light creamy taste, this time presented in brandy goblets. January 19th 2015408 K3.3 55 min.
Crispy rolls with chicken and leek
Finely sliced leeks are cooked with a shallot, to which is added leftover chicken with a little cream and parmesan. This mixture is rolled up in filo pastry, and cooked in the oven. February 21th 2011244 K5 50 min.
Hearty potato and ham gratin
A potato gratin with an original twist: fried diced ham with mustard. February 9th 202236 K 1 hour 60 min.
Financiers
This delicious little cake gets its name from its shape, in the form of a gold ingot. April 14th 2020343 K 24.6 20 min.
Guacamole
For this typically Mexican recipe there are two main methods: smooth mashed avocado (made with a blender), or simple mashed avocado (made with a fork) with small pieces. And you can add, or not, finely diced tomato. You will find the first version (smooth) below. November 26th 2011313 K4.1 1 hour 25 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-09-21)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.