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Tarragon lemon butter sauce served
Rich, glossy lemon butter sauce speckled with chopped fresh tarragon

Tarragon Lemon Butter Sauce

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Sauces and Gravies
This sauce is a lightened, spiced relative of the classic French 'beurre blanc' (white butter sauce). The richness of butter is cut through by the acidity of lemon, while tarragon's distinctive, slightly aniseed, peppery character makes it exciting. It is a perfect example of how to conjure restaurant quality onto the plate using few ingredients, simply by playing with temperature and textures.
🕒 Prep Time 10 mins
🍳 Cook Time 15 mins
⌛ Total Time 25 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 220 kcal
🌍 Cuisine French style

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Small saucepan (preferably with a light interior to see colours)
  • Whisk
  • Knife and chopping board

Allergen Information

⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Prepare the ingredients: wash and dry the tarragon, then chop finely. Cut the butter into cubes and return to the fridge until use.

Tip: Butter temperature is critical: cold butter melts slower, making it easier to form a stable emulsion.
2 ✓

Boil the stock in a small saucepan. Let it boil until reduced by half (reduction).

Tip: Reducing concentrates the flavours so the sauce won't taste watery.
3 ✓

Lower the heat to medium, pour in the cream and lemon juice. Stir and warm through, but do not boil strongly.

Tip: Lemon juice acidity can curdle cream at high heat, so gentle heating is important.
4 ✓

Turn the heat to the lowest setting. Start adding the cold butter cubes in 2-3 batches, whisking constantly. Only add the next batch once the previous one has melted and creamed.

Tip: This technique is called 'monter au beurre': butter fat droplets disperse in the liquid, resulting in a thick, glossy sauce.
5 ✓

When all butter is in and the sauce is thick and velvety, remove from heat. Stir in the chopped tarragon, salt, and white pepper.

Tip: White pepper is used in pale sauces to avoid distracting black specks, and its flavour is more refined.
6 ✓

Serve immediately, as the emulsion may split upon reheating.

Tip: This sauce is made 'à la minute', i.e., directly before serving.

Recipe FAQ

Why must the butter be cold?
If you added melted butter, it would just be greasy. The gradual melting of cold butter creates the creamy emulsion.
What if the sauce splits (curdles)?
Remove from heat, add a tablespoon of ice-cold water, and whisk wildly. This often restores the emulsion.

Ingredients

  • 100 g butter (cold, cubed)
  • 10 g fresh tarragon
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 100 ml meat stock (or vegetable stock)
  • 50 ml double cream
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch ground white pepper