Sauce Choron is a warm, butter-emulsified sauce made from egg yolks (a sabayon base), finished with tomato for a subtle tang and a gorgeous rosy color. It’s different from classic béarnaise because it’s lighter on herbs and brighter thanks to the tomato, making it perfect when you want a steakhouse-style sauce without going full peppercorn or heavy cream. Make it when you’re cooking steak, roast beef, or even grilled vegetables and you want something rich, silky, and special.

This recipe is based on my YouTube video “Mes 3 STEAKS Royaux — Sauce maroilles, choron et beurre maître d’hôtel,” with a few adjustments since publication to make the sauce more reliable and better balanced on its own.

What Sauce Choron Tastes Like

Think of Sauce Choron as the cousin of béarnaise and hollandaise: it’s buttery and luxurious, but the tomato adds a gentle acidity and a slightly sweeter, rounder finish. It’s not a creamy pan sauce (no cream, no stock), and it’s not a cold mayo-style sauce either. This one is warm, glossy, and nappe-style (it coats the back of a spoon).

If you want a rich blue cheese vibe instead, go with a sauce like this how to make Roquefort sauce for steak. If you want a quick buttery finish with herbs, a warm emulsion like this steak sauce entrecote warm herb butter emulsion is another great option.

Key Technique: The Gentle Sabayon

The entire success of Sauce Choron comes down to one thing: gentle heat. You’re cooking yolks very lightly while whisking to build a fluffy base, then you slowly emulsify warm butter into it. It’s the same logic as hollandaise, just finished differently.

If you’ve ever had a sauce turn grainy or taste like scrambled eggs, it’s almost always because the heat was too high or the butter was too hot. This recipe solves that with clear temperature targets and a simple method that works on a regular home stove.

Ingredients Notes

Egg yolks: Yolks are your emulsifier. Three yolks gives you enough structure for a generous amount of butter without being overly heavy.

Butter: Keep the butter warm—not sizzling. You want it around 40–45°C (104–113°F). Too hot and the sauce breaks or the yolks scramble.

Acidity: In the video, the sauce is built very simply. For a more balanced result on a website recipe (especially when people make it without a full steak plating context), a small amount of vinegar or lemon makes a big difference. This isn’t about making it sour—it’s about making the butter taste alive.

Tomato concassé: Tomato adds color and a mild tang. The key is removing seeds and watery pulp so you don’t thin the sauce.

If you’re into sauces in general, keep your fundamentals sharp with a reliable base like homemade hollandaise sauce and a steak-friendly classic like steak with béarnaise sauce.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Sauce Choron

1) Make Tomato Concassé

Start with 1 small tomato. The goal is small, clean dice with as little water as possible.

Cut a small “X” at the bottom of the tomato.
Dip in boiling water for 10–15 seconds, then transfer to cold water.
Peel the skin, cut in half, scoop out seeds and watery pulp.
Dice the flesh very small.
Set aside on a paper towel to absorb extra moisture.

This little step matters: watery tomatoes can thin the sauce and reduce stability.

2) Melt the Butter and Keep It Warm

Melt your butter gently. Do not brown it.

Keep it warm at 40–45°C (104–113°F).
If you don’t have a thermometer, you want it warm to the touch but not hot—no steam, no sizzling.

3) Build the Sabayon Base

In a small saucepan (or metal bowl over barely simmering water), add:

egg yolks
a small amount of water and acid (details in the recipe card)

Whisk constantly over very low heat until the mixture thickens and becomes pale. You’re looking for ribbons: when you lift the whisk, the mixture falls back in soft trails.

Temperature target: 45–50°C (113–122°F).
Do not go higher.

If your stove runs hot, a bain-marie is the easiest way to keep it safe.

4) Emulsify with Warm Butter

Take the pan off direct heat.

Start adding the warm butter slowly while whisking constantly:

First: a few drops at a time until the sauce starts to thicken.
Then: a thin steady stream once it’s stable.

You should get a glossy, airy sauce with a velvety texture.

If it thickens too much, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water.

5) Finish Choron-Style

Switch to a spatula and gently fold in your tomato concassé.

Season with salt to taste.

Keep warm—not hot—until serving.

How to Serve Sauce Choron

This sauce is classic with steak, especially striploin, ribeye, or hanger steak. Spoon it over the sliced steak or serve it on the side so people can dip.

It also works surprisingly well in steak sandwiches. If you want a full steakhouse sandwich vibe, pair it with something like this steak sandwich a hearty and fail-proof feast or this ultimate patty melt with caramelized onions and homemade harissa mayo.

For lighter pairings, a bright salad helps cut through the richness, like this creamy basil avocado salad with baby tomatoes or this spicy avocado tuna salad.

Nutrition Context

Sauce Choron is rich—there’s no way around it, because it’s built on butter and egg yolks. The good news is you don’t need a lot: a few spoonfuls per steak goes a long way. If your meal is protein-forward (steak, roast beef, grilled chicken), the sauce adds flavor and satisfaction without needing a heavy starch-based side.

If you want a lighter sauce option for another day, a quick sauce like maple mayo sauce or a bright dressing like vinaigrette au citron maison changes the whole feel of the plate.

Substitutions

Butter

Unsalted butter is ideal. If using salted butter, reduce added salt and taste at the end.

Acid

White wine vinegar is classic and clean.
Lemon juice works too and feels a bit fresher.
If you only have apple cider vinegar, use less (it’s stronger).

Tomato

Fresh tomato concassé gives the best texture.
In a pinch, use a small spoonful of thick tomato paste diluted with a few drops of warm water—just enough to tint the sauce (don’t overdo it).

Heat Method

If you’re nervous, use a bain-marie. It dramatically reduces the risk of scrambling the yolks.

FAQ

Why did my sauce turn grainy?

The yolks got too hot. Keep the heat low, whisk constantly, and don’t exceed about 50°C. A bain-marie helps.

Why is my sauce too thin?

Common causes:

Butter was added too quickly before the emulsion formed.
Tomato had too much water.
The sabayon wasn’t thick enough before emulsifying.

Fix: keep whisking off heat, and if needed, add a small bit more warm butter very slowly.

Can I make Sauce Choron ahead of time?

This sauce is best made fresh. You can hold it warm for about 20–30 minutes, but avoid reheating.

Can I reheat it?

Not really. Reheating tends to break the emulsion. If you must, do it very gently over warm water while whisking, but it’s never as perfect as fresh.

What if the sauce breaks?

Try whisking in 1 teaspoon warm water off heat. Sometimes it comes back. If it’s fully broken, restart with a new yolk in a bowl and slowly whisk the broken sauce into it like you would with butter.

What to Serve With Sauce Choron (Suggested Posts)

For steak mains and steakhouse plates:

For sauces and technique bases:

For a full menu idea (starter + main + dessert):

Sauce Choron (Tomato Béarnaise) — The Velvety Steakhouse Sauce You Can Make at Home

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Prep Time 15

Cooking Time 15

Category Sauce

Cuisine French

Portions 2 Portions

Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients

3 egg yolks
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp white wine vinegar or 2 tsp lemon juice
10 tbsp 150 g unsalted butter, melted and kept warm (about 40–45°C / 104–113°F)
1 small tomato peeled, seeded, and diced very small (about 2–3 tbsp tomato concassé)
Fine salt to taste

Instructions

Prep tomato concassé: Peel, seed, and dice the tomato very small. Pat dry on paper towel.
Warm butter: Melt butter gently and keep warm (no boiling, no browning).
Make sabayon: In a small saucepan over very low heat (or bain-marie), whisk yolks + water + vinegar until pale, thick, and ribboning (about 2–4 minutes). Do not overheat.
Emulsify: Remove from heat. Slowly drizzle in warm melted butter while whisking constantly until glossy and thickened.
Finish: Fold in tomato concassé. Season with salt. Keep warm and serve immediately.

Video

Notes