You’ve heard of the bear necessities, but have you heard of béarnaise?! Now that we’ve gotten that terrible (although much-needed) joke out the way, a béarnaise is a creamy, tart sauce that originated in the Béarn province of France and has a reputation for taking streaks to the next level.
Made using clarified butter, egg yolks, and white wine vinegar, béarnaise can be quite tricky to achieve, so follow these tips for the best result.
Warm Your Base
The easiest way to make a béarnaise is by using a blender. However, a blender that is too cold can cause mess up the process. Before starting, warm the jug of the blender by filling it with warm water and pouring it out. Dry it thoroughly before adding in your ingredients.
Slowly Does It
As béarnaise is an extremely delicate sauce, the process should be performed with patience and care. Add your egg yolks to the warmed-through blender and then pour in your white wine vinegar a few drops at a time. The last thing you want is to create scrambled eggs!
Read the Room
You want your butter to be room temperature when you add it. Using a spoon, add one to two tablespoons at a time, and the sauce should become thick and silky. Once the texture has been achieved, add kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.
