Béarnaise sauce
Béarnaise sauce is a warm emulsified sauce made from clarified butter, egg yolk, shallots, tarragon, and chervil, primarily used to accompany fish or grilled meat dishes, as well as poached eggs. It is a variation of hollandaise sauce. Good to know: Béarnaise sauce is not originally from Béarn, but from the Parisian region.
Classic Béarnaise Sauce Recipe
| Ingrédients | Units | Quantity |
| Eggs Butter | Piece Kg | 16 1 |
| White wine Alcohol vinegar Shallots Crushed pepper Tarragon Chervil | L L Kg Kg Bunch Bunch | 0.15 0.15 0.150 0.015 1/2 1/4 |
| estragon | Bunch | 1/2 |
| cerfeuil | Bunch | 1/4 |
| salt | PM | |
| Preparation time | min | 20 to 25 |
Preparation method
- Prepare the ingredients: Group and weigh the ingredients. Then, cut the butter into small pieces and let it melt slowly in a bain-marie, without stirring. The butter should be clarified—separate the foam from the whey, and set it aside.
- Prepare the herbs and shallots: Wash, peel, and finely chop the shallots, tarragon, and chervil. In a sauté pan, combine the white wine, shallots, pepper, half of the tarragon, and half of the chopped chervil. Let the mixture reduce by three-quarters over low heat. Once done, allow it to cool and infuse.
- Clarify the eggs: Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Return to the reduction and add the egg yolks along with a little cold water. Place the sauté pan back on very low heat and whisk vigorously, forming figure eights with the whisk. You will obtain a sabayon with a fluffy, creamy texture. Remove from heat and check the temperature of the sabayon. It should be around 60°C (140°F). If the mixture is too thick, you can add a bit of cold water to stabilize it.
- Make the Béarnaise sauce: Now we’re going to make the Béarnaise sauce, which is similar to making mayonnaise, but using clarified butter instead of oil.
- Incorporate the butter: Gradually whisk in the clarified butter, making sure to stir continuously. Check the seasoning and texture, then strain the sauce through a chinois (fine sieve).
- Finish the sauce: Add the remaining chopped tarragon and chervil. Keep the sauce at a temperature of 40-50°C (104-122°F).
How to cook a Tournedos:
To have tender meat, it’s recommended to take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking. Then, start your grill or barbecue while you wait. Next, season the meat simply with salt and pepper, but you can also use aromatic herbs, garlic, or spices to flavor your meat. However, I prefer it without, as a good piece of meat doesn’t necessarily need so much seasoning.
To sear the meat, place it on the grill and let it brown. Remove it and let it rest. Then, return it to the grill, lower the heat, and close the lid. You’ll be able to enjoy your meat with Béarnaise sauce.
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