This video will teach you how to make a classic pan using white wine and butter. Beurre meaning "butter" and "blanc" meaning white, this sauce is classically paired with fish, vegetables, and light poultry dishes. For a heavier flavor that's more appropriate for red meat, you can make a beurre rouge by swapping red wine for the white.
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My Third Attempt Worked
Finally got the beurre blanc sauce to emulsify. Partly because I focused on it this time as opposed to being distracted with a couple of other things going on at the same time and partly because I used some cream in the sauce. I have seen this referred to "training wheels" for beurre blanc, but it worked for me without having to get xantham gum.
Thanks for the recipe
Elliot
Ouch! Cream in the beurre
Ouch! Cream in the beurre blanc 
.
Don't worry, you'll get there. I've broke many beurre blancs before I could consistently get them to emulsify. I would be willing to bet that you're not reducing your liquid enough.
Some Things To Keep In Mind:
- Make sure that the butter is cold and in large chunks.
- Add the next chunk of butter before the previous one is completely melted.
- Swirl and/or whisk constantly.
- Pull off of the heat before your last pat of butter is completely dissolved.
- There are a lot of professional cooks that struggle with this technique. With time and practice you'll get it down.
OK I promise no cream next time.
Did everything you suggested above. Keeping my fingers crossed I can go sans cream next time.
Elliot
The word is "au sec" which is
The word is "au sec" which is a french term that means almost dry.
Shallots over-cooking
I am just a home cook and I have not gotten this technique to work yet. I have tried everything mentioned above including reducing to au sec (although it is very likely that I am misinterpreting this term in practice). I am finding that during the reduction process the shallots are browning and becoming brittle. I wonder if I am using too high of heat, reducing too long, or slicing the shallots too thin. Is it possible to reduce too far because all I am getting is straight oil with browned butter solids not matter how vigorously I wisk.
Oh, and the only unsalted butter at the grocery store that I normally shop as says "Sweet Cream." Is that ok or should I try to find something else at a different store?
If the shallots are turning
If the shallots are turning crisp then either your heat is too high or you're cooking them too long. I would also guess that the pan you're using is too large; try using a small saute pan, preferably 6-8".
Usually stores will only mark butter that is salted, so any of the whole butter at the supermarket that isn't labled "salted" would be fine.
When reducing "au sec," you want enough moisture left in the bottom of the pan to form a very thin layer. If you're pan is too large, this could be problematic since you'll need a lot more wine to start with and a large amount of butter to finish the emulsion.
If your sauce is "oily" looking then it is "broken" (meaning the fat has separated from the liquid), which happens when your pan heat is too high.
Try again over lower heat, using the smallest pan you have. This is also one of those techniques that just takes time. You'll need some practice before you can make this sauce consistently.
Thank you. Glad you're
Thank you. Glad you're enjoying the videos. Good luck in Culinary School.
Hi Jess, Welcome to Stella
Hi Jess,
Welcome to Stella Culinary.
Vin Blanc translates directly to "white wine." In the context of a classic sauce, vin blanc is a derivative of the French Mother Sauce Veloute, which is just a white stock thickened with a white roux. Classic white stocks used for veloutes are veal, chicken, and fish.
In the case of Sauce Vin Blanc, white wine is reduced, usually with minced shallots, until almost dry (au sec). Then fish veloute is added, and brought to a simmer. A small amount of heavy cream is added for richness, and the sauce is then reduced until the desired consistency is reached.
The sauce is then seasoned with salt, white pepper, and lemon juice, mounted with a small amount of butter for both mouth feel and flavor, and strained right before serving.
In the case of the beurre blanc demonstrated in the video above, white wine is reduced with aromatics until almost dry, and then emulsified with whole butter.