I am absolutely sure that you will love this classic bearnaise sauce recipe for steak! It is a deliciously creamy fresh tarragon and butter sauce. And you should definitely this one try out for your next steak dinner at home.
Have you ever heard of this bearnaise steak sauce before?
It is called sauce béarnaise in French.
Sometimes you might also ‘bernaise’ in English.
This homemade bearnaise sauce recipe is one of my most favorite steak sauces ever, no joke.
So what is your favorite steak sauce?
Classic Butter Sauce
What I love about this yellow treat is that strong wine and vinegar touch in that thick melted butter sauce. And then that fragrant and freshly chopped tarragon in it as well.
What an excellent steak sauce this is!
However there is a catch: this classic French butter sauce might look innocent to you.
Believe me that this bearnaise sauce recipe or béarnaise sauce (béarnaise in French) is not an easy one to make.
I have failed to make it right quite a couple of times. And it always happens at the same exact point.
The first time I made it, I followed the béarnaise sauce recipe Jamie Oliver used.
Challenge
The moment when you think that the bearnaise sauce is coming together nicely and you are in for a treat, all of a sudden it can split in a blink of an eye.
And all you can do is throw the split butter sauce out and start all over again.
But why is it that difficult to make?
Because it takes quite some time and an awful lot of your patience to make that butter melt in the right way at a very specific temperature. Really all I can say is, don’t rush things.
Take your time
It is all worth it.
Fresh Tarragon
So are you ready for a good old steak sauce challenge today?
Then this bearnaise sauce recipe is exactly what you need!
So let’s start off with a very important thing here.
The heat underneath the pan has to be absolutely perfect.
It can’t be too high or too low because the chemistry between that yellow egg yolks and then the slowly melting butter has to do its magic. Both have to slowly melt into each other so that you end up with a creamy mixture.
Patience
And that is what will also make or break this bearnaise sauce recipe, believe me.
But don’t you fret over it that you are not up for it.
Because I will be very honest here with you.
I make this bearnaise sauce quite often at home, and even I still end up with a split bearnaise butter sauce from time to time.
After all these years. I would even go as far as to say that half of the times I have to start all over. It is a pretty tricky sauce.
But if you do it right, then you are in for a real treat!
Bearnaise Sauce Recipe (Classic Bearnaise Recipe)
I am always excited when I reach the end of my recipe and that bearnaise sauce in that little saucepan looks thick and glossy and rich. Homemade bearnaise is so much better than the supermarket stuff. Way better!
If it works of course.
But then again, even after making it a zillion times, I still mess it up from time to time.
And the funny thing is, I can almost always tell why the sauce split and didn’t come together. Because I didn’t get the right heat under the pan, or I rushed it, or I overworked the sauce.
Tricky Butter Sauce
That is why I have said it before: take your time. Follow the rules and do it by the book and your bearnaise sauce recipe will be a huge hit.
Homemade bearnaise sauce from scratch… It is really worth it.
Because this freshly homemade bearnaise is absolutely to die for!
And you and your family will be over the moon.
Au Bain-Marie
If you are brave enough, then you can even try to make this simple bearnaise sauce recipe in a warm water bath or bain-marie. This will make your bearnaise sauce also extra light and airy!
Besides, melting butter in this water bath also keeps it from burning or overheating too fast. It also slows down the melting process, which is exactly what you need.
I have made this bearnaise sauce bain marie, and yes. I have to admit that the sauce was even better.
But then again, it takes time and patience!
Cooking Skills
I often order a steak bearnaise in a restaurant as a test, especially in meat restaurants.
In Belgium it is the same thing for shrimp croquettes or steak tartare by the way. Because how these classics are executed tells you a lot about how a chef runs his or her kitchen.
Does the chef make his personal homemade bearnaise sauce recipe for your steak? Good job then! Did it come from a jar or straight out of the freezer into the microwave?
Meh.
Making a bearnaise sauce recipe is time consuming, I agree. But if a restaurant charges an extra 5 or 6 bucks extra for a steak sauce, then I don’t expect to get a wobbly yellow glue on my plate.
Tarragon, Egg Yolk & Butter
I hate shortcuts in a professional kitchen.
You will love this gluten free bearnaise sauce recipe.
It is a gorgeous homemade creamy tarragon, egg yolk and butter sauce. And a great sauce to try out when you are planning your next steak dinner! Bearnaise is a French classic recipe and also a basic cooking skill if you ask me!
Bearnaise is not only a great match for steak. Because it is also a great sauce that you can serve with a piece of poached salmon for instance, did you know that?
Salmon and bearnaise, it really works!
Steak Dinner
Do you love this classic bearnaise sauce recipe for steak?
Then you should check out my white asparagus with smoked salmon and homemade dill béarnaise sauceas well.
That is also a great summer sauce, with a creative twist!
Enjoy this buttery steak sauce recipe!
My Step by Step Bearnaise SauceRecipe
Classic Bearnaise Sauce Recipe
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
My bearnaise sauce recipe: a creamy tarragon and butter sauce!
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: French
Servings: 2 people
Calories per serving: 442 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk
- ⅓ cup dry white wine (80 ml)
- ⅓ cup white wine vinegar (80 ml), or red wine vinegar
- a good handful fresh tarragon chopped
- 1 large shallot chopped very finely
- 3,5 oz unsalted butter (100 g), cold and diced
- pepper
- salt
Instructions
1) Place a medium saucepan with the chopped shallot, white wine and vinegar over medium heat until it boils gently. Season with pepper and salt.
2) Let the liquid reduce fully. Then take the pan off the heat and let the cooked shallots cool for 5 minutes. Put the saucepan back over very low heat and then add the egg yolk.
3) Whisk vigorously to keep the yolk from scrambling. Keep the pan over very low heat and keep on whisking until the yolk sauce gets a sabayon like consistency.
4) One by one add small pieces of the cold butter to the pan and continuously move the butter around on a fork until it has fully melted. Then add another bit of butter. Keep the heat very low.
5) Keep stirring in bits of butter. The bearnaise sauce takes a while to come together. It needs to be done carefully so don't hurry. Add as much butter as you want. The sauce should have slightly thickened but still be light and creamy.
6) Stir constantly. Then check the seasoning in the end and add extra pepper or salt to taste. Add the chopped tarragon. Now turn the heat off and let the bearnaise sauce rest for another 2 minutes.
7) Transfer the bearnaise sauce to a jug and serve with freshly cooked steaks.
