Classic Bearnaise transforms weekday steak or chicken into a dinner party-worthy dish.

To make Bearnaise, you start with a reduction of wine, vinegar, shallots, and tarragon.

Stir the herbal reduction into hollandaise, and voila!

Overhead view of Béarnaise sauce with shallots, herbs, and lemon around the bowl.

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You have Bearnaise sauce.

Here are some of the finer points.

How To Use Bearnaise Sauce?

Classic mother sauce: béarnaise in a bowl with a plate of salmon and sauce set behind the bowl.

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Steak is not the only game in town.

Consider spooning it overpoached eggs,salmon, chicken or vegetables.

Try some of these tweaks next time you make Bearnaise.

Toasting aromatics in a skillet to make béarnaise sauce.

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Storing Bearnaise Sauce

Bearnaise sauce is best used immediately.

If you must, you’re free to refrigerate it for up to 2 days and reconstitute it.

It will become solid in the fridge.

Making the base of a béarnaise sauce in a skillet.

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Return it to a clean pot and gently reheat it before serving.

There should still be a tablespoon or two of liquid in the bottom of the pan.

Set aside and let cool to lukewarm.

Side view of a liquid measuring cup with cubes of butter to to make béarnaise sauce.

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Let it rest for 5 minutes.

Return the melted butter to the microwave and microwave again for 1 minute.

At this point the butters milky solids should have settled into the bottom of the cup.

Side view of melted butter in a liquid measuring cup to make béarnaise sauce.

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If there is foam on top, skim it off with a spoon.

Set a fine-mesh strainer over a clean measuring cup or small bowl.

Carefully pour the butter into the cup or bowl, leaving the residue behind.

Skimming foam off the top of a measuring cup to make béarnaise sauce.

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The strainer should catch any bits of cooked milky solids that stray into the cup.

To clarify on top of the stove:In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.

Carefully ladle the pure melted butterfat into a separate container, leaving the milk solids behind.

Straining milk solids out of melted butter to make clarified butter for béarnaise sauce.

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you’re able to also strain it through several layers of cheesecloth or a coffee filter.

The resulting clarified butter will have a slightly nutty flavor.

Remove the pan from the heat.

A saucepan with whisked egg yolks inside to make béarnaise sauce.

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This can take anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes.

The final thickness should be soft, light, and velvety; not runny or as thick as mayonnaise.

You should be able to pour it off the spoon.

Thickening egg yolks in a sauce pan to show how to make béarnaise sauce.

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Stir the tarragon base into the sauce and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly chopped tarragon.

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Adding clarified butter to the pot to show how to make béarnaise sauce.

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Whisking butter and egg yolk mixture in a saucepan to show how to make béarnaise sauce.

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Adding shallots and tarragon to a sauce pan with thickened béarnaise sauce.

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Classic mother sauce: béarnaise in a pan with a spoon coated in sauce above the pan.

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