Au Jus Recipe - How to Make Au Jus Sauce (2024)

Here's a simple Au Jus recipe that pairs perfectly with your rump roast! Au jus sauce, a classic French term meaning "with juice," is a flavorful sauce that elevates the taste of various beef dishes, making it a perfect accompaniment to roast beef sandwiches, French dip sandwiches, prime rib roast, and more.

In its simplest form, au jus sauce is made from the natural juices and drippings of cooked beef, enhancing the depth of flavor and creating a savory, meaty sauce that can take your favorite recipes to the next level. In this easy recipe guide, we'll show you how to make the best au jus sauce with simple ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

Au Jus

Au jus sauce is typically made from the flavorful juices and drippings that are released from roasted or grilled meat, such as beef, pork, or lamb. These drippings are usually found in the bottom of the roasting or grilling pan after the meat has been cooked. Here's a basic process for making au jus sauce:

1. Remove the meat from the pan: Once the meat is done cooking, remove it from the pan and let it rest.
2. Deglaze the pan: Place the roasting or grilling pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a liquid such as broth, wine, or water to the pan to loosen and dissolve the flavorful browned bits (called fond) that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. This process is known as deglazing.
3. Simmer and reduce: Allow the liquid to simmer and reduce by about half. This concentrates the flavors from the pan drippings and the added liquid.
4. Strain and serve: After simmering and reducing, strain the liquid to remove any solids. The resulting sauce is the au jus, which can be served alongside the meat as a flavorful dipping sauce.

The specific ingredients and seasonings used in au jus sauce can vary, but the key element is the meaty juices and drippings from the cooked meat. It's a simple yet delicious sauce that enhances the flavor of the meat it's served with.

Roasts To Make Au Jus With

Rump Roast Recipe

Boston Butt Roast

Eye of Round Roast

Bottom Round Roast

Oven Roasted Tri Tip

Prime Rib Roast!

Sirloin Tip Roast

Au Jus Sauce Ingredients

• Beef drippings (from your cooked meat)
• Beef broth or beef stock
• Red wine (optional)
• Worcestershire sauce
• Soy sauce
• A red onion
• Black pepper
• Flour (all-purpose)
• Cold water

Equipment

• Roasting pan or pot roast pan
• Small saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Airtight container or freezer-safe container
• Ice cube tray (optional for portioning)
• Recipe card (for jotting down your homemade au jus recipe)

How to Make Au Jus Sauce

Step 1: Collect the Meat Drippings

After cooking your beef dish, whether it's roast beef, prime rib roast, or pot roast, remove the meat from the pan. Collect the meat drippings and brown bits that settle at the bottom of the pan. These are essential for a good au jus.

Step 2: Deglaze the Pan

After collecting your pan drippings, place the roasting or pot roast pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a cup of beef broth (or red wine for extra depth of flavor) to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape and dissolve the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. This process is known as deglazing.

Step 3: Add Flavor

To the deglazed liquid, add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, a tablespoon of soy sauce, a finely chopped red onion, and a dash of black pepper. These ingredients will infuse the sauce with a rich, beefy flavor.

Step 4: Make a Roux

In a separate small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Gradually whisk in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour until it forms a smooth paste. This roux will help thicken the au jus.

Step 5: Combine and Simmer

Slowly pour the roux into the pan with the deglazed liquid, stirring continuously. Allow the sauce to simmer over low heat until it thickens to your desired consistency. If it becomes too thick, you can thin it with additional beef broth.

Step 6: Strain and Serve

Strain the sauce to remove any solids, leaving behind a smooth and flavorful au jus. Serve it hot alongside your favorite beef dishes, such as French dip sandwiches, prime rib, or roast beef.

Storage

Leftover au jus can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or frozen in an ice cube tray for convenient portioning.

Making homemade au jus sauce is an easy and delicious way to enhance the flavor of your beef dishes. With just a few simple ingredients and a little time, you can create a savory sauce that adds a robust and meaty dimension to your meals. Give it a try and elevate your cooking to the next level with this classic and flavorful sauce.

Recipe Card

Au Jus - How to Make

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Au Jus is a flavorful sauce that elevates the taste of various beef dishes, making it a perfect accompaniment to roast beef sandwiches, French dip sandwiches, prime rib roast, and more.

Ingredients

• 1 cup beef drippings (from your cooked meat)
• 2 cups beef broth or beef stock
• ½ cup red wine (optional, for extra depth of flavor)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

1. Collect the Meat Drippings - After cooking your beef dish, whether it's roast beef, prime rib roast, or pot roast, remove the meat from the pan. Collect the meat drippings and brown bits that settle at the bottom of the pan. These are essential for a good au jus.

Step 2: Deglaze the Pan - Place the roasting or pot roast pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a cup of beef broth (or red wine for extra depth of flavor) to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape and dissolve the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. This process is known as deglazing.

Step 3: Add Flavor - To the deglazed liquid, add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, a tablespoon of soy sauce, a finely chopped red onion, and a dash of black pepper. These ingredients will infuse the sauce with a rich, beefy flavor.

Step 4: Make a Roux - In a separate small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Gradually whisk in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour until it forms a smooth paste. This roux will help thicken the au jus.

Step 5: Combine and Simmer - Slowly pour the roux into the pan with the deglazed liquid, stirring continuously. Allow the sauce to simmer over low heat until it thickens to your desired consistency. If it becomes too thick, you can thin it with additional beef broth.

Step 6: Strain and Serve - Strain the sauce to remove any solids, leaving behind a smooth and flavorful au jus. Serve it hot alongside your favorite beef dishes, such as French dip sandwiches, prime rib, or roast beef.

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Cook Time

The cook time for making homemade au jus sauce is relatively short, as it primarily involves simmering the sauce to thicken it and meld the flavors. Here's a breakdown of the approximate cook time for each step:

1. First, Collect Meat Drippings: This step doesn't add to the overall cook time, as it's done while you're cooking your beef dish, like roast beef or prime rib.
2. Next, deglaze the Pan: This step typically takes about 5-10 minutes. It involves heating the liquid (beef broth or red wine) and scraping the browned bits from the pan until they dissolve.
3. Then, add Flavor Ingredients: Adding Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, chopped red onion, and black pepper takes only a couple of minutes.
4. After that, make a Roux: Creating the roux with butter and flour usually takes around 5 minutes. It's a quick process.
5. Then, Combining and Simmering: This step might take 10-15 minutes or longer, depending on how thick you want your au jus. You'll simmer the sauce over low heat until it reaches your desired consistency.
6. Finally, strain and serving: Straining the sauce is a quick step, and then you can serve it immediately. This step takes just a few minutes.

Sources

Epicurious Au Jus Recipes.