Commonly though, au jus is used to describe the beef broth dip served with French Dip sandwiches
Au Jus is such a delicious addition to the perfect French Dip Sandwich, you’re going to love our easy beef dip recipe!Au Jus is easy to make, even if you don’t have drippings from a roast lying around! I’ve come up with a fantastically simple Au Jus recipe that can be made with or without pan drippings!
What is Au Jus?
Au Jus is a French term meaning “with juice”. It refers to the juices that are released as meat, typically beef, cooks. These juices are collected and used to flavor other dishes, including used as a thin gravy served with meat, particularly prime rib. It’s not only a resourceful way to make use of these beef drippings, it also adds back an incredible amount flavor to any meat dish. Here in the U.S. it’s most commonly used as a side sauce for dipping, specifically for the popular French Dip Sandwich. The sandwich, loaded with sliced tender beef, Swiss cheese, and caramelized onions, is dipped into the au jus before each bite, saturating the bread and fillings with flavor.
This homemade au jus sauce varies from the traditional recipe which uses meat drippings: Since most people don’t usually have beef drippings on hand, we give you the option to use or replace them with butter. But have no fear, if you choose to make this au jus without beef drippings you will NOT be disappointed in the flavor! I’ve carefully crafted this recipe with ingredients that include red wine, Worcestershire sauce, shallots, garlic, Dijon mustard, and thyme to give your au jus incredible richness and depth of flavor. And then there’s my secret ingredient and my way to perfectly do that you’ll find in the following lines.
How Long Will Au Jus Keep?
The au jus gravy will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. You can also make au jus well in advance and freeze it.
What Can I Serve With the Au Jus?
We’ve already discussed its perfect mate, the French dip sandwich. However, this rich and savory beef dip gravy also pairs perfectly with prime rib, roast chicken, or over beef and noodles.
What is the difference between beef broth and au jus?
The difference between what we call an au jus sauce and beef broth is that “au jus” is the drippings from the meat being cooked, and beef broth is sometimes added.
Preparation and storage :
How do you thicken au jus
To thicken au jus, stir in a small amount of flour. You’ll want to make sure you continue to cook the sauce for a few minutes after you add the flour to make sure it doesn’t have a raw taste to it.
If you want a gluten free version, you can use corn starch or tapioca starch instead. Create a slurry with cold water and a small amount of the starch before pouring it in – this will prevent clumping.
Can you freeze au jus
You can freeze au jus to save for later. I like to pour my leftovers into an ice cube tray, then when it’s frozen solid, put the cubes in a labeled freezer bag.
Frozen au jus will stay good indefinitely if kept continuously frozen.
Ingrédients
- 4 tablespoons butter or beef drippings
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (gluten free: use GF all-purpose flour) *this is just enough flour to give the texture a nice mouth feel without thickening it
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1/8 cup white wine
- 2 cups quality beef broth or stock
- 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 shallot , finely minced (or 3 tablespoons finely minced red onion)
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoons beef broth base ( beef granules, paste, bouillon cube)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (recommended for best flavor but if needed can substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves)
- 2 teaspoons ground dried porcini mushrooms (HIGHLY recommended for the ULTIMATE flavor and umami boost! Grind in spice/coffee grinder, blender,)
- butter or olive oil just enough to saute
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the butter,olive oil or drippings to a skillet and melt over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes. Whisk in the flour until it is incorporated and simmer for 1 minute.
- Add the red wine and whisk constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer for about 2 minutes (the mixture will thicken). Whisk in the beef broth and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the remaining ingredients, return the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a slow simmer, and simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes. The liquid will reduce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
- Serve the au jus immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve (reheat in microwave).
Notes
- To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire recipe when finished. Divide the total weight (not including the weight of the container the food is in) Result will be the weight of one serving.
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If you want a gluten free version, you can use corn starch or tapioca starch instead of flour. Create a slurry with cold water and a small amount of the starch before pouring it in – this will prevent clumping.