Easier Béarnaise Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  
• 2 shallots, minced
  
• 2 sprigs tarragon, roughly chopped
  
• 2 egg yolks
  
• 3 tablespoons water
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened at room temperature
  

Directions

1. Place the white wine vinegar, minced shallot, and half of the chopped tarragon in a saucepan. Heat this on a medium-low flame for 5-10 minutes, until the shallots are sweated and the liquid has reduced by about half. Strain out the solids, and replace the concentrated liquid back into the saucepan and let it cool to room temperature.
2. Add the egg yolks, water, vegetable oil, and salt into the saucepan with the concentrated vinegar, and heat over a medium-low flame while whisking vigorously. The goal here is to whisk the eggs to a fluffy, custard-like consistency, which should take around 3-5 minutes. Once you see it start to steam, be extra vigilant as you don’t want to overcook the sauce, lest it’ll turn into scrambled eggs! You can take your pan off and on the heat to better control the cooking.
3. When the sauce thickens and reaches the desired consistency, add in the tablespoon of butter and the rest of the chopped tarragon, and whisk until the butter dissolves.
4. The sauce is best served immediately, but can hold well for 30 minutes to an hour. It’s classically paired with steak, but can go well with fish or even grilled vegetables!