How is a "beurre blanc" sauce prepared?

A "beurre blanc" sauce is prepared by emulsifying clarified butter with shallots and white wine vinegar. This technique emphasizes the creation of a stable emulsion, which is key to achieving the sauce’s rich and creamy texture. The process typically starts with gently cooking finely chopped shallots in white wine or vinegar until the liquid reduces. Once it’s reduced, the heat must be lowered before gradually whisking in the clarified butter, allowing it to incorporate into the mixture smoothly. The result is a velvety sauce with a balanced acidity from the vinegar, perfect for complementing fish and seafood dishes.

The emulsification process is crucial in this sauce because it prevents the fat from separating, ensuring a consistent texture. While butter is a primary ingredient in many sauces, beurre blanc is distinct in that it relies on the reduced vinegar or wine for its flavor profile, rather than just a fat-based sauce.

Other methods of preparing sauces—like boiling butter with water and herbs, mixing cold butter with cream and spices, or combining butter with flour and sugar—do not adhere to the traditional method of creating beurre blanc and result in different types of sauces altogether.