Repairing Broken Sauces

If an emulsified egg yolk sauce is prepared incorrectly—for example, if the clarified butter is too hot or too much is added at once—the tenuous emulsion will destabilize and the sauce will “break.” A broken sauce is easy to recognize because it suddenly thins and takes on a grainy appearance. When confronted with a broken emulsified sauce, it is important to diagnose the problem first. Check the temperature of the sauce by feeling the outside of the saucepan. If it seems too hot, let the sauce cool before trying to repair it.