Can hollandaise sauce be frozen?

Hollandaise sauce is an integral component of several tasty dishes. As you probably know, you will find it as a regular ingredient in many breakfast or brunch dishes.

Its creamy texture and intense flavor cannot but make any dish shine. It is a classic sauce in every sense of the word.

That said, it would be very practical if you always had it on hand. After all, you will likely be using this sauce frequently in the near future.

So can hollandaise sauce be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze hollandaise sauce for up to a month. Since it is an emulsion sauce that contains egg yolk, it needs to be frozen and thawed properly so that the ingredients do not separate or spoil.

The short answer to this is yes. However, let’s dig into it. This is because there is a correct way to do it. All of this, including other questions you may have, will be covered in this comprehensive guide to freezing. So don’t stop reading!

What is hollandaise sauce?

Hollandaise sauce is considered one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine. It plays a crucial role in various dishes and goes especially well with vegetables, meat and fish.

For most people, you are probably familiar with hollandaise as the sauce that is often served with eggs benedict.

Of course, it bears mentioning here that one of the main reasons people keep asking if it’s okay to freeze hollandaise sauce is because it’s so hard to make. It involves creating an acid reduction from scratch and then straining and clarifying the butter.

Needless to say, it’s a complex and lengthy process that involves a lot of mixing and demands your full attention.

Hollandaise is an oil-in-water emulsion sauce. Its main components are egg yolk, melted butter and lemon juice. However, some recipes use vinegar or white wine reduction instead of lemon juice .

The flavors are then rounded out with various seasonings, such as salt, white pepper, and cayenne.

Two ingredients immediately stand out: the egg yolk and the butter. As you probably know, these two ingredients need to be stored carefully to prevent spoilage. Needless to say, its presence in hollandaise sauce makes it incredibly sensitive.

The fact that it is an emulsion is also a concern for some people. They are concerned about how the freezing process will eventually affect the mix and consistency of the sauce itself once thawed.

However, as we will explain in the following sections of this freezing guide, this should not be a problem. All you have to do is follow the correct freezing and thawing procedures.

Proper Storage of Hollandaise Sauce

As a rule of thumb, make sure freshly made hollandaise sauce is kept warm before eating it. Specifically, keep it out of the 40-140ºF (4-60ºC) temperature danger zone. As you probably know, this is the temperature at which bacteria multiply most rapidly.

At the same time, it is recommended to consume the sauce within a maximum period of 2 hours. If not, we recommend that you store and store your leftover hollandaise sauce to prevent it from going to waste.

In this sense, you have two options: you can store it in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

Of course, you should know that both methods will affect the emulsion, since cold temperatures will cause the butter in the mixture to solidify. However, there are ways to work around this during the reheat process. So let’s go deeper.

Refrigerate the hollandaise sauce

Refrigeration is a good option if you want your hollandaise sauce to last longer. If done correctly, it can last up to two days in the fridge. Therefore, be sure to follow the instructions below so that you can store your hollandaise sauce correctly.

To refrigerate hollandaise sauce, follow these steps:

1. Prepare a large bowl or sealed fridge-safe bag.
2. Carefully pour any excess hollandaise sauce into the container of your choice.
3. If you’re working with a bowl, carefully place the lid on it to ensure an airtight seal. If not, just close the bag seal.
4. Find a clear place in the fridge
5. Store the sauce in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Keep in mind that if you’ve made your hollandaise sauce well, you should have no problem incorporating it into your recipe even if it’s been refrigerated overnight.

For example, if you’ve decided to refrigerate your leftover hollandaise sauce, you should know that you can even mix it into a new batch. All you have to do is beat until well combined.

Now, some people may be concerned about how the refrigeration process will eventually affect the emulsion. To be more specific, they are concerned about how the butter solidifying as it cools will affect the sauce.

Luckily, you can easily restore its emulsion by whisking a single egg yolk into the sauce during the heating process. In short, there is nothing to worry about when it comes to refrigerating hollandaise sauce.

Freeze the hollandaise sauce

Another effective way to preserve hollandaise sauce is to freeze it. Contrary to what some say, hollandaise sauce freezes perfectly.

This method allows you to prepare larger batches in advance. You can then proceed to heat the sauce when the need arises. Needless to say, this is a more comfortable way to approach certain dishes that require this type of sauce.

First of all, make sure you have a freezer or ice cube tray and a freezer-safe bag on hand. They will be useful to you later.

Again, since you will be freezing the sauce, we suggest making a larger batch than usual, since you will be going to the trouble of freezing it. This way, you can maximize the effort you put into the freezing process.

With that said, be sure to follow these steps to the letter for freezing your hollandaise sauce:

1. The first thing you should do is divide the sauce into portions. This is where you will need to use the freezer tray.
2. Carefully pour the sauce onto the tray, making sure it doesn’t spill. Then, once the tray is full, you can proceed to put it in the freezer.
3. Wait an hour and check if the sauce has completely frozen. Once they are solid, remove them from the pan and place the frozen hollandaise cubes in a freezer-safe bag.
4. Seal freezer bags filled with frozen hollandaise cubes and place in the freezer. Then, you only have to take out a couple of cubes when you need to add sauce to your recipe.

Keep in mind that hollandaise sauce can last up to a month if it’s well frozen.

Defrost the hollandaise sauce

If you have decided to follow the instructions above and have frozen your hollandaise sauce, you should know that you will need to thaw it properly before serving it.

At the same time, remember that it will take some time to liquefy. Trust us, the last thing you want is to pop your frozen sauce into the microwave trying to speed up thawing. It’s the best way to ruin a good batch of hollandaise sauce.

This is because the high heat and rapid rise in temperature will inevitably break the emulsion of the sauce.

For best results, you want to make sure it thaws at room temperature. To do this, simply grab a couple of cubes from your freezer-safe bags and place them in a sandwich bag. Then, put them under cold water and wait for them to liquefy.

Remember that the temperature of the hollandaise sauce doesn’t have to be higher than room temperature anyway.

Just make sure you give it a good stir from time to time to check its consistency. Once the sauce is well thawed, you can simply pour it over the hot ingredients on your plate.

Alternatively, if you have the time and patience, you can also leave the frozen hollandaise sauce cubes in the fridge overnight.

Related questions

We hope this article has been helpful for your hollandaise sauce freezing needs. Just in case, we’ve added some related questions so you won’t be left wondering how to care for your hollandaise sauce.

Freezing Vs. Refrigeration - Which method is better?

Now you may be wondering, what is the difference between these two mentioned methods? Ultimately, it depends on how much sauce you have left over and when you plan to use it.

For example, we suggest you use the fridge if you only have a small amount of sauce left. This is because your sauce will only last about two days.

It goes without saying that refrigerating a huge bowl of hollandaise sauce is not advisable. As we’ve already said, freezing is the perfect storage method if you plan to make a large batch of sauce that you’ll then spread out into multiple servings over the next month.

Can you freeze egg yolks?

Egg yolks are one of the main components of hollandaise sauce, so it’s only natural to wonder if this key ingredient can be frozen.

The short answer is: yes, you can freeze the egg yolks. However, you have to previously prepare the yolks for the process. To do this, just add a pinch of salt for every four yolks you freeze. This is essential, since the salt prevents the yolks from gelling.

There you have it: our guide to freezing hollandaise sauce. Be sure to follow the instructions we have presented here so that you can always have this wonderful sauce ready when you need it.