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This au jus recipe is so rich and flavorful and can be made with or without drippings! Perfect alongside my easy prime rib recipe, for French dip sandwiches, or over beef and noodles. So much flavor, quick, and easy.
We recommend pairing this simple jus with our perfect (and easy) prime rib recipe!
🥩 What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Au jus recipes may seem intimidating, but I promise this one’s super easy. You’ll have no trouble at all making a delicious, savory dipping sauce that’ll impress even the pickiest eaters.
- We use the fewest ingredients we can to get the most flavor possible! Some recipes might call for just drippings + broth, which works for a very basic jus. This recipe also uses a little red wine and Worcestershire to really put it over the top!
- You can make it with or without beef drippings! Sure, a classic au jus starts from meat drippings, but you may not always have those handy, so it’s nice to have an alternative.
What is Au Jus and How Do I Use It?
Au jus (pronounced like “zhoo”) is a French culinary term meaning “with juice.” Not to be pedantic, but what we’re making here is the jus. Once it’s made, you’ll serve your entrée au jus – “with juice”.
Au jus is essentially like a thin gravy made from the meat’s own juices, and it’s a delicious and easy way to enhance the flavor of meaty dishes. Use it similarly to how you might use a gravy, with a meat dish like prime rib roast or roast chicken, over beef and noodles, or as a dip for beef sliders.
👩🏼🍳 Chef’s Tips
- You don’t need an expensive red wine for the perfect au jus. In fact, a red in the $5-$10 range is more than perfect for cooking. It should be something you enjoy the taste of, of course, but this isn’t the time to break out anything fancy. I recommend something with a bit of body, like a cabernet sauvignon, a pinot noir, or a merlot. Malbec or shiraz would also work, but be careful not to choose something with too much body.
- The beef drippings obviously come from cooking beef. If you end up with beef remnants in the drippings, don’t worry! Pour the jus through a fine mesh sieve and into your serving container, that way you get all the flavor in a sauce that’s nice and smooth.
- This au jus recipe is perfect for a make-ahead option. To store your jus, keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it in an ice cube tray, then transfer it to a sealable plastic bag or other airtight container and keep it in the freezer up to 6 months.
- If you are on a strict gluten-free diet, make sure your Worcestershire sauce is gluten free. Some brands of Worcestershire use malt vinegar, which is made from a grain barley that contains gluten.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
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Au Jus Recipe (Made With or Without Drippings)
This rich jus is so simple and so flavorful. Since it's made with or without beef drippings, you can have any entrée au jus without needing to cook a large meal.
servings
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- whisk
- serving container
Ingredients
For Jus From Drippings
- 4 tablespoons beef drippings
- 4 tablespoons red wine or low-sodium beef broth
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
For Jus Without Drippings
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons red wine or low-sodium beef broth
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt more or less to taste
Instructions
For Jus from Drippings
- Place medium saucepan on stovetop over high heat. When saucepan is warm, add 4 tablespoons beef drippings, 4 tablespoons red wine, 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.
- Whisk ingredients together until incorporated, then bring mixture to boil. Once mixture begins to boil, reduce heat under saucepan to medium-low. Simmer mixture 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, taste mixture and add salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. When satisfied with flavor, transfer jus into serving container. Note: if your drippings contained any remnants from the beef, strain the jus through a fine mesh sieve first, so you're left with a smooth liquid.
- Serve warm with prime rib, French dip sandwiches, roast beef, or other meal as desired.
For Jus without Drippings
- Place medium saucepan on stovetop over high heat. When saucepan is warm, add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons red wine, 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Whisk ingredients together until incorporated, then bring mixture to boil. Once mixture begins to boil, reduce heat under saucepan to medium-low. Simmer mixture 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, taste mixture and add ½ teaspoon salt, onion powder, and/or garlic as desired. When satisfied with flavor, transfer au jus into serving container.
- Serve warm with prime rib, French dip sandwiches, roast beef, or other meal as desired.
- Red Wine: Use a medium-bodied red wine, like a cabernet sauvignon, a merlot, or a pinot noir. Malbec or shiraz would also work but be careful not to choose one with too much body.
- Make it Gluten Free: Use a gluten-free Worcestershire and make sure your broth is gluten free.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size: 1 serving au jus (without drippings)Calories: 63calProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 267mgPotassium: 44mgTotal Carbs: 1gFiber: 0.04gSugar: 0.3gNet Carbs: 1gVitamin A: 177IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.2mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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Ok. I did this in a crock pot. Used the sauté setting and let it go. When I got home I added sliced deli beef. Fabulous. I used dry white cause that’s what I had.
Yum! So glad you enjoyed it!
This an AWESOME recipe!! My wife is asyliac and this is was the best she has ever had!!
Thank you so much, Lloyd! So happy you both enjoyed it!
Was too buttery when not using pan drippings
We’re sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe, but we appreciate the feedback!
I did not like this at all. All I could taste was butter and wine. I wanted to like it and the directions were very easy to follow but ultimately the taste was not what I was hoping for!
We’re sorry you did not enjoy this recipe, Laura, but we do appreciate the honest feedback.
This was the first time I made au jus. The au jus was darker and thicker than I thought it should’ve been. Once poured over the roast beef and it had a chance to marinate and meld with the beef it was perfect. This recipe was easy to prepare. I made this for a wedding of 350 people!
Wow! What a compliment, Darlene. Thank you so much for sharing!
I made it with butter (no drippings) and beef broth instead of the wine for french dip. It was so intense, that my wife and I order prime rib every Thursday night, eat the outside, bring the inside home and make french dip for lunch the next day!
Yum!
Delish! My only negative is I added a cab and it turned purple alright, even after cooking the recipe, it looks like slightly purple gravy! I love the flavor, so will try with cornstarch or leave out the wine. I will serve this with beef and noodles.Very delicious!
So glad you still enjoyed this recipe!
Fantastic flavor. Simple. Makes the French dip sandwich pop.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Oh my goodness!!! So easy, so flavorful! Thank you
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Real timely and simple supplement to my first time prime rib dinner. Thank You.
We’re thrilled you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for sharing your experience.