READY IN
15 mins

Béarnaise Sauce

Rating 4-0 out of 5 - Most cooks definitely will make this recipe again

Recipe by Graham

Béarnaise Sauce can, of course, be purchased ready made - so can a McDonalds! If you want the best tastes, then you'll need to spend a little time creating them.

By the way, if you can't get hold of clarified butter, you can make it yourself... melt the butter slowly over a low heat without stirring. Remove from the heat and skim the foam off the surface. Spoon the clarified butter into a small container, leaving the milky sediment behind.

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes

Cooking Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients for Béarnaise Sauce

If you are not familiar with any ingredients, please check our International Cooking Terms page.

Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements

to serve 2:

black peppercorns

shallot

2 tablespoons

freshly chopped tarragon

2 tablespoons

white wine vinegar

egg yolks

6 oz

unslated clarified butter (drawn butter)

lemon

salt and pepper

1 pinch

cayenne pepper

freshly chopped tarragon, to garnish

How to Cook Béarnaise Sauce

Crush the peppercorns, peel and finely chop the shallot and chop the tarragon. In a small pan bring the peppercorns, shallots, tarragon and white wine vinegar to the boil and reduce to about 1 tablespoon (15ml).
Remove the pan from the heat, allow to cool slightly then strain the liquid into a mixing bowl (you can discard the remaining solids). Whisk in the egg yolks and set the bowl over a pan of simmering hot water. The bowl should sit just above the water and not be immersed in it (bain marie style). Whisk the mixture over a low heat for about 5-6 minutes, or until thick and creamy so it leaves a ribbon-like trail.
Slowly add the clarified butter a little at a time, still whisking, until the sauce becomes thick and glossy. Squeeze in the juice of ¼ of a lemon, season with salt and a little freshly ground black pepper, then stir in the cayenne. Garnish with tarragon if desired and keep warm.

GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
Don't try and rush the process. A good sauce takes time to develop the right texture.

Reviews of Béarnaise Sauce

Rating 4 out of 5 - Many cooks will make this recipe again

May 27 2014
It was delicious. I doubled the recipe because I needed more. I didn't have tarragon (the sauce was a last minute request) so I used dried oregano which worked very well. Very tasty.
Angie (3 reviews)