Carnivore Hollandaise Sauce: A Rich & Nutrient-Dense Delight
Posted by FAISAL TOOR
If you're following a carnivore diet, or looking for a nutrient-dense, low-carb sauce, carnivore Hollandaise sauce might be the perfect solution.
But what makes this version of Hollandaise special? It's rich in healthy fats, filled with vitamins, and entirely animal-based.
Imagine a creamy, buttery sauce that not only enhances the flavor of your meals but also supports your health goals. Many people turn to it for its simplicity, nourishment, and ability to transform even the simplest dishes into gourmet delights.
If you’re curious about how this unique sauce can add both flavor and nutrition to your diet, keep reading.
Carnivore Hollandaise Sauce: Understanding the Basics
What is Traditional Hollandaise Sauce?
Traditional Hollandaise sauce is a classic French sauce made with egg yolks, butter, and lemon juice. It has a rich, buttery taste with a hint of tang from the lemon, making it a popular addition to dishes like eggs Benedict, and steamed vegetables.
In the U.S., Hollandaise has become a staple in brunch culture, known for elevating breakfast and brunch dishes with its creamy texture and bold flavor.
Main Ingredients in Traditional Hollandaise Sauce:
- Egg Yolks: Provide a creamy texture and serve as the base for emulsification, giving the sauce its thick, smooth consistency.
- Butter: Adds richness and a silky feel, contributing most of the flavor. Clarified butter is often used to prevent separation.
- Lemon Juice: Gives the sauce a fresh, tangy flavor and helps cut through the richness of the butter.
- Salt and Pepper: Simple seasonings that enhance the overall flavor without overpowering the main ingredients.
Nutritional Profile (per 35g serving):
- Calories: 165
- Protein: 1.6g
- Carbohydrates: 1.1g
- Fat: 18g
This high-fat content makes it a calorie-dense sauce, ideal for adding richness to meals.
Transforming Hollandaise Sauce for the Carnivore Diet
To make Hollandaise sauce suitable for the carnivore diet, all non-animal ingredients are removed. The biggest change is eliminating lemon juice, as it's plant-based. Instead, the sauce relies on clarified butter or ghee for richness and flavor.
Egg yolks remain in the base, giving the sauce its creamy texture. This simple, animal-only version preserves the indulgent experience of traditional Hollandaise while aligning with the carnivore diet.
Health Benefits of Carnivore Hollandaise Sauce
Rich in Healthy Animal Fats
One of the standout benefits of carnivore Hollandaise sauce is its high content of healthy animal fats.
Made primarily from butter or ghee, this sauce is a fantastic source of saturated fats, which provide a steady source of energy for those following a low-carb, high-fat diet.
These fats also help with nutrient absorption, particularly fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, ensuring the body gets the nutrients it needs from animal foods.
Excellent Source of Choline and Vitamins
Egg yolks are rich in choline, a vital nutrient that supports brain health, liver function, and metabolism. Choline is essential for maintaining cognitive function and nervous system health, making carnivore Hollandaise a nutrient powerhouse.
Additionally, the yolks are packed with vitamins such as B12, which is crucial for energy production and maintaining red blood cells.
Learn more: Beef Organ Supplements—100% New Zealand Grass-Fed
Supporting a Ketogenic and Carnivore Lifestyle
For those following a carnivore or ketogenic diet, carnivore Hollandaise sauce fits perfectly. Its high-fat, low-carb profile supports ketosis, where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.
The sauce adds variety and flavor to meals without disrupting the body’s fat-burning state, making it an ideal choice for anyone committed to these eating lifestyles.
Learn more: Carnivore Sauces' Complete Guide: What to Eat? What to Avoid?
How to Make Carnivore Hollandaise Sauce
Tools and Equipment Needed
To make the perfect blender carnivore Hollandaise sauce, having the right tools is essential. Here’s a list of equipment you'll need, along with some tips to help you use them effectively:
- Blender: Choose a blender with a pour hole in the lid. This is crucial for streaming the melted butter slowly while blending the yolks. Cover the hole with a towel to avoid splattering.
- Pan (for melting butter): Use a pan over medium-low heat to melt the butter without browning it. Stir occasionally to prevent burning, and make sure it's fully melted before pouring.
- Measuring Cup with a Spout: Pour the melted butter from a measuring cup with a spout to easily stream the butter into the blender. This ensures a smooth, steady flow.
- Mixing Bowls: Use a flat surface to crack your eggs and transfer them into the bowls. It’s a good idea to have a separate bowl to crack each egg in case a yolk breaks, so you don’t contaminate all the others.
- Towel: Place it over your hand when streaming the butter into the blender. This helps control any splatter, especially when blending at higher speeds.
Learn more: Carnivore BBQ Sauce: Flavorful, Simple, and Diet-Friendly
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Carnivore Hollandaise Sauce (Blender Version)
Follow these simple steps to create a smooth and delicious carnivore Hollandaise sauce, perfect for topping your favorite carnivore dishes. Each step is designed to help you master the process with ease:
1. Prepare the Eggs: Crack each egg on a flat surface to minimize shell shards. Gently separate the yolks by passing them between your hands until the whites fall off. Transfer the yolks to the blender.
2. Add Lemon Juice: Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the blender, being careful to avoid seeds. The acidity of the lemon helps balance the richness of the butter.
3. Blend the Egg Yolks: Blend the yolks and lemon juice on medium speed for about 2 minutes. This will lighten the color of the yolks from a rich yellow-orange to a pale yellow.
4. Melt the Butter: Over medium-low heat, melt the butter in a pan, stirring occasionally. This ensures the butter doesn't brown or burn. Once fully melted, pour it into a measuring cup with a spout.
5. Stream Butter into the Blender: With the blender running, slowly pour the melted butter through the pour hole in the lid. Stream it steadily over 2 minutes to allow for emulsification. Use a towel to cover the pour hole to prevent splattering.
6. Season with Salt: Add about ½ teaspoon of salt and give the blender a few quick pulses to incorporate it. This will enhance the flavor and bring out the buttery richness of the sauce.
7. Serve: Pour the thickened Hollandaise sauce into a serving bowl. The texture should be silky and rich, perfect for pouring over your favorite carnivore dishes.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Even seasoned cooks can run into problems when making carnivore Hollandaise sauce. Here are some common mistakes people encounter and how you can easily avoid or fix them:
- Overheating the Sauce: Overheating can cause the eggs to scramble. To avoid this, keep the heat low and whisk continuously. If the sauce starts to steam excessively, remove it from the heat briefly to cool down.
- Sauce Separation and Fixes: Separation can occur if the butter is added too quickly or if the sauce becomes too hot. To fix a broken sauce, whisk in a small amount of cold water or egg yolk to bring it back together.
- Achieving the Right Texture: The ideal texture is smooth and creamy. If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a tablespoon of warm water or more butter. If it’s too thin, whisk it over gentle heat for a bit longer to thicken.
Variations of Carnivore Hollandaise Sauce
Carnivore Hollandaise sauce can be adapted in several ways to suit personal preferences and different dietary needs. Below are three easy ways to change up the flavor and texture while keeping the sauce fully carnivore-friendly.
Using Different Fats: Butter vs. Tallow
The fat used in carnivore Hollandaise sauce affects its taste and consistency. Each option adds a unique flavor profile.
- Butter: The most common choice for making Hollandaise. It creates a creamy, silky sauce with a mild flavor.
- Tallow: For a deeper, meatier flavor, tallow is a great alternative. It adds a savory, rich taste and a slightly thicker texture.
Butter gives a lighter, creamier sauce, while tallow adds richness and depth. Choose the fat based on the desired taste.
Raw Egg Yolks vs. Cooked Yolks
Egg yolks are essential for the texture of carnivore Hollandaise sauce. Using raw or cooked yolks will affect the sauce’s consistency.
- Raw Yolks: Traditional Hollandaise uses raw egg yolks, giving the sauce a smooth, airy feel. This is the fastest method and provides a classic, creamy texture.
- Cooked Yolks: Cooking the yolks first can create a thicker, custard-like sauce. This method is best for those who want to avoid raw eggs.
Raw yolks create a lighter sauce, while cooked yolks give a denser, custard-like texture. Both are suitable depending on preference.
Flavor Variations with Organ Fat
For those on a strict carnivore diet, organ fats offer a nutrient-dense option to replace butter or tallow in the sauce.
- Bone Marrow: Adds a rich, slightly earthy flavor. Bone marrow also enhances the sauce's nutrient content and offers a buttery texture.
- Kidney Fat (Suet): This fat gives the sauce a milder flavor and a firmer consistency. It’s perfect for those looking for a lighter option.
Using organ fats like bone marrow or kidney fat enhances the sauce's flavor and nutrient profile. These fats provide a more robust, meat-focused taste.
Tips for Serving Carnivore Hollandaise Sauce
Carnivore Hollandaise sauce is versatile and can elevate many dishes, especially those focused on animal-based ingredients. Below are some tips for pairing and serving this rich, creamy sauce.
Best Dishes to Pair with Hollandaise
Carnivore Hollandaise sauce complements a variety of meat and egg dishes. Its rich, buttery flavor enhances both texture and taste.
- Steak: Drizzle it over a perfectly cooked steak to add extra richness.
- Fish: Hollandaise pairs beautifully with fatty fish like salmon.
- Eggs: Serve it with poached eggs for a satisfying, protein-rich meal.
Hollandaise sauce pairs well with steaks, fish, and eggs. It adds luxury to any simple meat dish.
Using Hollandaise as a Dressing for Meats
Carnivore Hollandaise isn’t just for eggs—it can also be used as a creamy dressing for different cuts of meat.
- Roasted Chicken: Pour it over roasted chicken thighs or breasts to add flavor and moisture.
- Pork Chops: Use it as a dipping sauce or drizzle it on top of pork chops for a delicious finish.
- Burgers: Spread it on carnivore-style burgers made from beef or lamb for an extra layer of flavor.
Use Hollandaise as a dressing to add richness to chicken, pork, or burgers. It transforms ordinary meats into something special.
Carnivore-Friendly Eggs Benedict
For those following the carnivore diet, Eggs Benedict can still be enjoyed with a few simple modifications.
- Egg Base: Start with poached eggs as the base.
- Meat Layer: Instead of using an English muffin, layer the eggs on top of bacon, sausage, or even steak.
- Top with Hollandaise: Generously pour the Carnivore Hollandaise sauce over the poached eggs and meat.
Carnivore-friendly Eggs Benedict replaces the muffin with bacon or steak. This keeps the dish fully animal-based and delicious.
Learn more: The Ultimate Guide to Carnivore Alfredo Sauce: Deliciously Simple, Fully Carnivore
Storing and Reheating Carnivore Hollandaise Sauce
Best Practices for Storage
To preserve the quality of Carnivore Hollandaise sauce, store it properly after making it.
- Airtight Container: Transfer the sauce into a sealed, airtight container to prevent exposure to air and moisture.
- Refrigeration: Store the sauce in the refrigerator as soon as it cools to room temperature. Keep it away from strong-smelling foods to avoid flavor absorption.
Store Hollandaise in an airtight container in the fridge. This keeps the sauce fresh and safe to eat.
How Long Does Carnivore Hollandaise Last?
Hollandaise sauce is delicate, so it doesn’t last as long as other sauces. Hollandaise sauce lasts for 1-2 days in the fridge. Avoid freezing to maintain texture.
- Refrigerator: Carnivore Hollandaise sauce will last for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
- Avoid Freezing: Freezing can cause the sauce to break when reheated, so it’s best avoided.
Reheating Without Separation
Reheating Hollandaise sauce can be tricky, as it’s prone to separating. Follow these steps for smooth, creamy results. Reheat Hollandaise on low heat and stir constantly. Use warm water if the sauce starts to separate.
- Low Heat: Gently warm the sauce over low heat or in a double boiler to prevent curdling.
- Stir Constantly: Stir the sauce constantly while reheating to keep the fats and yolks emulsified.
- Add Warm Water: If the sauce begins to thicken too much or separate, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water to bring it back together.
Learn more: The Best Multivitamin for a Carnivore Diet
Final Thoughts
Carnivore Hollandaise sauce is a rich, versatile condiment that enhances the flavor of a wide range of animal-based dishes. By using only animal-derived ingredients, it stays true to the carnivore diet while offering a luxurious, creamy texture.
Whether tailored to personal taste or stored for future use, this sauce is an indulgent yet simple way to elevate any carnivore meal.