The World’s Easiest Bearnaise Sauce

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The classic Bearnaise requires a lot of cookware and perfect technique to succeed. With temperature control it’s easy to succeed every time. No need for a water bath or other hassle – all you need is a saucepan and a whisk.

This is an easier “cheat” version of the classic Bearnaise sauce. Normally you would clarify your butter before adding it to the sauce, but in this version, you can skip that step. This also means you only need one saucepan, so there’s less washing up! By using un-clarified butter, the flavour-profile does change slightly, as you retain all the milk proteins from the butter.

Ingredients

Bearnaise

2 tbsp. Bearnaise extract (storebought or homemade)

Salt to taste

200 gram Butter

2 pcs. Egg yolk

2 tbsp. Tarragon , chopped (fresh or dried)

1 tbsp. Chervil, chopped (may be omitted)

Steps

1
Start the sauce
Cut the butter into equally sized squares. Heat a saucepan to 75 ºC. Add bearnaise extract and salt to the saucepan. Stir continuously while adding the butter a little at a time. It should quickly thicken slightly and become creamy. It is important to add the liquid first and only then add the butter. Keep whisking at a moderate speed while the butter melts, otherwise the sauce will not thicken.
2
Add the egg yolks
When all the butter is mixed into the sauce, lower the temperature to 60 ºC. Add the egg yolks while whisking. The sauce will now thicken even more. Add chopped fresh tarragon and chervil if using. Dried herbs can also be used. Serve the sauce immediately, or cover and leave to keep warm at 58 ºC until you are ready to serve.

Notes

If you prefer a thicker sauce, add 3 egg yolks instead of 2. If your sauce becomes too thick, you can add a few drops of water. Be careful not to add to much, or it will separate.

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