Gribiche Sauce

Sauce gribiche is one of the great French sauces that most home cooks have never tried. It’s a cold, emulsified vinaigrette loaded with chopped hard-boiled eggs, capers, cornichons, shallots, and fresh herbs. Think of it as a more interesting, more textured cousin of remoulade.

The sauce is whisked together like a vinaigrette: Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar first, then oil drizzled in slowly while whisking constantly to build the emulsion. All the chunky bits fold in at the end. The result is tangy, briny, and herbaceous.

The beef shank simmers for 6 to 8 hours until fall-apart tender, then gets sliced into thick medallions and grilled for a smoky char. That combination of long-braised tenderness with grilled edges is extraordinary, and the cold gribiche cuts through the richness beautifully.

Pro Tips

• Drizzle the oil in very slowly while whisking the mustard-vinegar base. Too fast and the emulsion breaks into an oily mess.
• Skim the foam off the simmering beef stock frequently in the first hour. This gives you a cleaner, clearer cooking liquid.
• Let the braised shank cool in its liquid. Cooling in the broth keeps the meat moist and adds flavor.
• Serve the gribiche at room temperature, never hot. Heat would break the emulsion.

Variations

• Serve the gribiche with poached salmon or cold roasted chicken instead of beef.
• Add chopped tarragon for a more classic bistro-style herb note.
• Use the leftover braising liquid as a base for French onion soup.