What is the French sauce made from butter, egg yolks, and tarragon vinegar? Béarnaise is the answer.
Béarnaise is a French butter-and-egg emulsion traditionally made with clarified butter, egg yolks, and an acidic reduction containing vinegar, shallots, peppercorns, and tarragon. The yolks are gently whisked while the butter is incorporated gradually, producing a rich, smooth sauce. It is especially associated with grilled or roasted steak.
Béarnaise is considered a child sauce of hollandaise. Both sauces rely on egg yolks and butter, but their flavorings differ. Hollandaise commonly uses lemon juice and sometimes cayenne or white pepper, while béarnaise is defined by its aromatic tarragon-and-shallot reduction. Chervil may also appear in traditional versions.
The sauce is named after Béarn, a historic region of southwestern France. A commonly repeated account credits chef Jean-Louis-François Collinet with creating it at Le Pavillon Henri IV in 1836, though the exact origin story is often presented as tradition rather than settled fact. Sauce Choron is a related variation that adds tomato purée, while sauce Paloise substitutes mint for tarragon.