Premade Bearnaise sauce?

(bob) #1

hello,

I know the answer is the best is probably if you make it yourself. I really like bearnaise. Has anyone found a decent premade either partial mix or full sauce?

(Jacob Wagner) #2

I have looked and not found it. I also can’t find premade hollandaise.

–Jacob

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #3

Hollandaise will not survive freezing; it’s very delicate and, technically, it should be taken from the stove, poured on the food, and eaten immediately for the best flavour.

Bearnaise sauce will probably survive freezing, but who knows what they would put in such a sauce at the factory? On the other hand, it’s dead easy to make (unlike Hollandaise), so you might try whipping up a batch and freezing it to see what happens. Making it yourself, you’d know exactly what was in it, and if it was still decent once thawed, you could make batches when you have free time, so that you have some when you don’t have time.

Edit—Forget the preceding paragraph. I was reading and writing “bearnaise” and thinking “bechamel.” Totally different sauces, sorry! :blush:

(Laurie) #4

I found several “easy” mayonnaise-based béarnaise sauce recipes on the Internet. You could make it even easier by using onion flakes or onion powder instead of sauteeing the onion. Some recipes call for milk; use cream or water instead.

I also saw recipes for mayo-based mock hollandaise.

(Ken) #5

Tarragon Mayo is real easy to make. An Egg, Tarragon, (really Tarragon vinegar) a cup of oil, and a stick blender. Easier to make, but Hollandaise type sauces are really worth the effort of mastering them. It’s really about being able to sense the “drag” on the whisk so you can add more butter before it separates from getting too hot. A good trick is to quickly dip the bottom of the sauce pan into cool water when thick to keep it from overcooking.

Bearnaise cannot be frozen, or I should say the same thing happens as with any Hollandaise based sauce. The freezing destroys the emulsion. Still tasty, but not the same texture.

As to either the premade stuff in the jars or even the powdered instant types, IMO the homemade Mayo tastes better.