Au Jus Recipe
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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.
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 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 + flour, which works for a very basic au jus. This au jus recipe, though, 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, classic au jus starts from meat drippings, but you may not always have those handy, so it’s nice to have an alternative.
- It’s super easy to make paleo or gluten-free if you need to! Just swap out the all-purpose flour for a dietarily appropriate one, and if you’re gluten-free, make sure your Worcestershire sauce is compliant!
What Is Au Jus and How Do I Use It?
Au jus (pronounced like “zhoo”) is a French culinary term meaning “with juice.” It’s a perfect, easy way to enhance the flavor of your meaty dishes by using the meat’s own juice to create a sauce. What’s great about my recipe is that while it has the same rich, savory taste of a traditional au jus, you don’t need to use any beef drippings to make it. This makes it perfect for pre-made dishes or just when you want a dip for your sandwich!
Au jus is a basically a thin gravy, so you can use it in very similar ways. It’s perfect for serving 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. I recommend something with a bit of body, like a malbec or shiraz. You can easily find one that’s perfect for cooking for under $5 a bottle.
- Be sure to keep whisking the au jus while you’re cooking it so it doesn’t get clumpy. You want it to stay nice and smooth.
- This au jus recipe is perfect for a make-ahead option. To store your au jus, keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can also freeze your au jus in an ice cube tray, then transfer to a sealable plastic bag or other airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- If you are on a strict gluten free diet, make sure your Worcestershire sauce is gluten free. It can contain malt vinegar, which contains wheat byproducts.
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Au Jus Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter or beef drippings
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour see Notes for gluten free or paleo
- ¼ cup red wine or beef broth
- 2 cups beef broth divided
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt & pepper to taste
Equipment
- Saucepan
Instructions
- In saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter (or beef drippings) then sprinkle in flour. Whisk thoroughly until thin paste forms.
- Vigorously mix red wine into flour mixture. Mixture will likely become purple and gooey. Continue cooking over medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until sharp alcohol smell is gone.
- Slowly pour in ½ cup of beef broth. Whisk vigorously to combine.
- Once beef broth is incorporated, pour in remaining broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring mixture to boil and cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make it Gluten Free: Use 2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the all-purpose flour. Make sure your Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free, too.
- Make it Paleo: Use 2 tablespoons cassava flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
Video
Nutrition Information
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.
Debbie Casey says
I have used this recipe several times now for my beef dip sandwiches and it is the best a jus recipe I’ve ever runnacross
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
Thanks so much, Debbie!
Kathleen says
I didn’t have red wine or droppings but it still came out pretty good!
Molly | 40 Aprons Team says
That’s great! Thanks for the review, Kathleen!
Hayley says
Would this work with beef tallow instead of butter? Thank you!
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
We didn’t test it that way so I can’t say for sure, but if you try it, please let us know how it turns out!
Tina says
Huge hit with my family!
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
Love to hear that! Thanks so much for your review, Tina!
Lynne Buckie Baker says
Can I make this ahead and reheat it?
Molly | 40 Aprons Team says
Sure, that should be fine!
Rhonda says
Delicious! I added some thyme to it.
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
Thank you so much, Rhonda!
Rebecca says
Is this any red wine or red cooking wine?
Molly | 40 Aprons Team says
Any red wine should do!
Mike H says
Rebecca, any chef will tell you to never use cooking wine, EVER. Use your favorite drinking wine or, better yet, the wine you plan to drink when eating the beef. Bear in mind whatever wine you add to a recipe you are always cooking it long enough and reducing it, which will intensify its flavor. Cooking wine tends to be high in salt, and you will only intensify the saltiness. Personally, I like to use a Burgundy or a Cabernet Sauvignon as they are bold in flavor and compliment the beef flavor.
Barb says
Could this be made ahead and then add beef drippings when roast is done?
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
You need the drippings to form the base of the au jus. You could make the au jus without the drippings, but if you then add drippings later, they’ll throw off the consistency and flavor of the au jus.
Randa says
Thank you so much for this. This quick recipe helped me so much when I was in a pinch!
Molly | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad, Randa!
Shawn says
TO spike it add 1tsp horseradish and red wine.
Molly | 40 Aprons Team says
Hi Shawn, we already call for red wine in the recipe, but you could absolutely add horseradish if you’d like!