Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (2024)

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Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (1)

Cheryl MalikPosted: 12/11/19Updated: 10/29/23

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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.

Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (2)

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!
Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (3)

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 winefor 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.
Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (4)

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Hey – you’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, too!

Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (5)

4.63 from 95 votes

Au Jus Recipe

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.

8 servings

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.

    Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (6)

  • 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.

    Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (7)

  • 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

Serving Size: 1serving, Calories: 69kcal, Protein: 1g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 294mg, Potassium: 59mg, Total Carbs: 2g, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Net Carbs: 1g, Vitamin A: 175IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg

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.

© Author: Cheryl Malik

Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (8)

Meet Cheryl Malik

In addition to being a certified health coach, certified yoga instructor, and mom of 3, Cheryl is also the recipe developer, editor-in-chief, food photographer, and passionate foodie behind 40 Aprons. Having spent the last 10+ years as a food blogger, she's become known for her flavorful recipes, detailed instructions, gorgeous photography, and down-to-earth approach to food and cooking in general.

Read more...

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  1. Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (12)Millie says

    Thank you so much. This was quick and easy to make on the roast ..God blessAu Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (13)

    Reply

    • Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (14)Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says

      So glad you enjoyed it, Millie! 😊

      Reply

  2. Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (15)Kat Wood says

    My husband was 50 years old before he realized Gravy wasn’t a beverage. Lol. He loved this recipe and suggested I use it on everything I cook! Haha. It is definitely a keeper and I can now say goodbye to gravy packages and jars. This was so easy to make (no lumps) and the taste is amazing. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I’d give it 10 stars if I could.Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (16)

    Reply

    • Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (17)Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says

      So glad you loved it! Thank you so much for the wonderful review. 😊

      Reply

  3. Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (18)Beth Ozenghar says

    Wry good would make again for sureAu Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (19)

    Reply

    • Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (20)Megan | 40 Aprons Team says

      So happy you enjoyed it, Beth! Thank you so much!

      Reply

  4. Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (21)Danny says

    The recipe didn’t taste bad, it just didn’t taste at all like au jus. And I did use Beef Bone Broth. Maybe it’s a vegetarian recipe or maybe Alabama au jus is just different. But I think you would need real beef drippings from a roast in order to make this correctly and have it taste like real au jus. Just my 2 cents.Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (22)

    Reply

    • Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (23)Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says

      So sorry to hear it wasn’t to your liking!

      Reply

  5. Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (24)James says

    Pretty salty without any salt added. Also, fairly cloudy for au jus (assuming the roux). Added some liquid and it was pretty good. Good base sauce.Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (25)

    Reply

    • Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (26)Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says

      Thanks for sharing, James!

      Reply

  6. Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (27)Erin says

    Used this recipe for beef on weck tonight because we used sliced deli roast beef. I added a sprig of fresh rosemary for a couple of minutes while simmering to give it a hint without overdoing it. It was fantastic!Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (28)

    Reply

    • Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (29)Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says

      Yumm! So glad you loved it, Erin! 😊

      Reply

Older Comments

Au Jus Recipe (With or Without Drippings) - 40 Aprons (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to thicken au jus? ›

Although au jus is not intended to be gravy, you can thicken the sauce by melting 1 tablespoon of butter in a microwave-safe bowl, adding 1 tablespoon of flour, and whisking these together. Then, add about 2 tablespoons of the prepared au jus sauce to the butter-flour mixture.

What is the difference between au jus and French dip? ›

French dip, a sandwich traditionally consisting of sliced roast beef (though pork, ham, turkey, and lamb are sometimes used), served on French bread, and eaten au jus (“with juice,” referring to the flavourful drippings of the meat left over from roasting).

What is the difference between pan jus and au jus? ›

In practice, the jus is enhanced by deglazing the pan with stock and then simmering the liquid with mirepoix before straining and serving it. Au jus is generally -- but not always -- unthickened, which is what distinguishes it from a pan gravy.

What is the difference between au jus gravy mix and brown gravy mix? ›

What is the difference between au jus and gravy? Au jus and brown gravy are similar but not quite alike. Both may use pan drippings from the roast, but au jus is a light sauce, while the gravy is thickened using a roux.

What is the French technique to thicken sauce? ›

Beurre Manié (French for “kneaded butter”) is made by mixing equals parts of softened butter and flour. This dough or paste is used to thicken sauces, soups and stews.

How do professional chefs thicken sauce? ›

Wheat flour is used extensively in professional kitchens as a thickening agent. Although it can be combined with water to create a whitewash, it is more commonly mixed with fat, which surrounds the starch granules and prevents clumping when added to hot liquids.

Is beef bone broth the same as au jus? ›

Beef broth is made by simmering beef bones, mirepoix (typically onion, carrots, and celery), hearty herbs, and spices in water, to extract flavor into the liquid. Au jus is basically beefed up beef broth. Amplify the savory flavor of beef broth by simmering it with drippings from roast beef (double beef flavor).

What is au jus sauce made of? ›

Au Jus Ingredients

Beef drippings: Of course, this perfect au jus starts with beef drippings. Flour: All-purpose flour thickens the beef au jus. Broth: Use store-bought or homemade beef broth. Seasonings: This flavorful au jus is simply seasoned with salt and pepper.

What does au jus mean in French? ›

The phrase au jus literally means "with the juice" in French. In cooking and dining, it refers specifically to the "juices" that are released when you cook a piece of meat.

What is a substitute for Mississippi roast au jus mix? ›

Beef Broth: You can also sub chicken broth if that's what you have on hand, or are using chicken. Coconut Aminos: This replaces the au jus packet that is typically found in Mississippi pot roast. It's much healthier but still has the same amazing flavor.

What is a substitute for red wine in au jus? ›

The Best Substitute for Red Wine
  1. Alcohol-free red wine.
  2. Beef broth.
  3. Chicken broth.
  4. Red wine vinegar (use ½ vinegar and ½ water for similar flavor results)
  5. Cranberry juice*
  6. Pomegranate juice*
Aug 8, 2023

Can I substitute beef bouillon for au jus? ›

2. Beef Bullion. You can use beef bouillons as is as a replacement for au jus, but you can also make your own au jus gravy mix from it.

How to thicken up au jus? ›

If you like a thicker Au Jus gravy, you can also whisk in a little flour to thicken it.

What is a Southern gravy called? ›

Other common names include country gravy, sawmill gravy, milk gravy, and sausage gravy.

How long does au jus last in the fridge? ›

You can make Au Jus up to 2 days ahead of time. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat it on the stove when you're ready to serve.

How do Chinese restaurants thicken sauces? ›

Much like French food, which relies on a roux for a perfect bechamel sauce or beef bourguignon and involves butter cooked with flour, Chinese and Cantonese cuisines use cornstarch to thicken sauces. However, it's predominantly added at the end of the cooking process rather than at the start.

What is the best way to thicken sauce that has become too watery? ›

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency.

What is the best thing to thicken sauce with? ›

The most readily available sauce-thickener is flour. For a too-thin sauce, try adding a slurry (equal parts flour and water, whisked together) or beurre manie (equal parts softened butter and flour, kneaded together to form a paste)—both are ideal thickeners for rich and creamy sauces, such as steak sauce recipes.

How do you fix sauce that is not thickening? ›

Add about 1 tablespoon of cornflour per cup of sauce but don't dump it straight in or it will clump. Instead, make a mixture with equal parts cornflour and cold water and whisk this into your sauce.

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