Beurre Blanc Recipe: How to Make French Butter Sauce

This classic French sauce has a neutral flavor that goes well with a variety of dishes such as seafood, meat, and vegetables. The key to a good beurre blanc is keeping the butter cold and reducing the heat to low when whisking it in for a smooth and luxurious sauce.

• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup white-wine vinegar
• ¼ cup finely chopped shallots
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled

1. 1

   In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, boil wine, vinegar, and shallots until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 4–5 minutes. Add cream and boil for 1 minute.

2. 2

   Reduce heat to low and add a few cubes of cold butter, whisking constantly. Add remaining pieces of butter little by little, whisking constantly until the sauce is the consistency of hollandaise and coats the back of a spoon.

3. 3

   Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Pour sauce through a fine sieve to remove shallots. Serve warm.

Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by culinary masters, including Chef Thomas Keller, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, Massimo Bottura, and more.