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Warning: I almost ruined a whole batch of bearnaise by following old advice
My old head chef in Phoenix always said to add the cold butter cubes straight into the hot reduction. I tried it again last night for a dinner service and it split instantly, like three times in a row. I had to start over and waste almost a pound of butter. A new guy on the line told me to just let the reduction cool for a minute first, and it came together perfectly. Has anyone else found that some classic kitchen rules just don't hold up anymore?
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the_alex29d ago
Wow, I used to swear by that old method too.
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baker.christopher29d ago
Yeah, that old trick is a total gamble. @the_alex is right to question it now. I've seen the same thing happen with hollandaise when the base is too hot. Letting it cool just a bit makes all the difference. Some of those kitchen shortcuts were just people being in a rush.
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