How to Store Hollandaise Sauce

Hollandaise is often served over asparagus or crepes.

Hollandaise sauce is used on eggs Benedict, asparagus and other vegetable dishes. Unlike other sauces, hollandaise is an emulsion. This means that the ingredients aren't blended; instead, clarified butter is suspended in egg yolks that are lightly cooked. This sauce doesn't store well, so it is usually prepared fresh, but short-term storage is possible if you prepare it ahead of the other dishes you are serving.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Plastic wrap
• Storage container
• Microwave-safe bowl

Instructions

1. Place the hollandaise sauce in a heatproof bowl. Cover the bowl with a layer of plastic wrap.

2. Set the container on a warming plate, but do not place it directly on a stove burner, or the sauce overcooks or separates. Arrange the plastic wrap so it doesn't touch any hot surfaces. Store the container on the warming plate for up to one hour before serving.

3. Pour the leftover sauce into a plastic- or glass-storage bowl. Seal the lid tightly and place the bowl in the refrigerator. Store the sauce refrigerated for one to two days.

4. Transfer the hollandaise sauce to an uncovered, microwave-safe bowl to reheat. Microwave it at 20-percent power for 15 seconds, then stir. Continue to microwave the sauce in 15-second intervals, stirring between each, until the sauce is warmed through.

Tips & Warnings

• Hollandaise sauce is best served fresh, as it loses its consistency and flavor during storage and reheating.

• Transfer unused hollandaise sauce to the refrigerator within two hours of preparing it to prevent spoilage.

• Since the eggs in hollandaise sauce are only partially cooked, they spoil quickly. Do not eat hollandaise sauce that has been stored for more than two days as it's more likely to harbor illness-causing bacteria.

References

• Still Tasty: How Long Can Your Keep Hollandaise Sauce
• Arizona State University: Hollandaise Sauce