This quick and easy 10 minute au jus recipe without beef drippings is perfect when you want a delicious sauce to pair with a rib roast that does not yield any meat juices. Made with a simple beef broth that still delivers a rich and savory flavor. This light, yet flavorful sauce is perfect with a reverse sear filet, french dip or whole roasted chicken!
If you’re making a roast, like this prime rib 500 rule recipe, there will no beef drippings. This au jus recipe is a great alternative, which still delivers a rich and flavorful sauce.
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What is au jus?
Au jus comes from the french culinary term meaning “with juice”. It is a light broth typically served with meat. It’s made from the fat and juices obtained from the roasted meat combined with other ingredients like beef broth, red wine and aromatics.
Ingredients
Beef broth - Gives a rich and savory flavor.
Red wine - For a subtle hint of acidity.
Butter - Because we don’t have any beef drippings that contain the fat and delicious meat juices, butter is used for the fat.
Red onion - to get more depth and flavor to the sauce, adding aromatics like red onion will give the au jus a hint of sweetness.
Worcestershire sauce - This adds additional umami to combine all the flavors together perfectly.
Kosher salt & ground pepper to taste
How to Make Au Jus with Beef Broth
1. Caramelize the red onions on medium heat, about 5 minutes.
2. Then add the red wine to the pan.
3. Add the butter to melt. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and salt.
4. Take the sauce up to a boil on medium high heat for 5-8 minutes and reduce the sauce slightly for a more concentrated flavor.
5. Strain the onions for a smooth au jus and add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Homemade Au Jus Variations
- Add some trimmed pieces of a prime roast or meat in place of the butter.
- Add soy sauce if you do not have worcestershire sauce
- Saute fresh minced garlic with the onions for a more complex flavor. Or use powdered onion and garlic.
What to Serve with Au Jus
A light and flavorful au jus is a great accompaniment to many great holiday dishes steak in a cast iron and oven, a small prime rib roast or a dry brined spatchcocked turkey.
Pro Tips
- If you have beef drippings, use it in place of butter for a traditional au jus.
- Reducing the au jus without the beef trimmings will get a more concentrated and beefy flavor.
- You do not need to buy a big bottle of wine, opt for mini wine bottles.
Storage and Reheating
- Planning for a big feast? Make this ahead of time and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat the au jus on medium low heat in a small sauce pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bone broth and au jus is not the same. Bone broth is essentially a soup made from animal bones and other vegetables and herbs that is simmered for a long period of time. The concentrated soup is highly nutritious and full of flavor.
Au Jus is a sauce usually for dips or to pour over meat such as a prime rib roast or any other steak. It is made from fat and juices from a beef roast combined with other ingredients like beef broth, worcestershire and red wine to create a flavorful and beefy sauce to enhance the flavors of the meat.
Au jus is usually a thin sauce. However, if a thicker sauce is preferred, mix a 1:2 ratio of flour to cold water to create a slurry and add it to the au just for a bit of thickness.
No, au jus is not the same as brown gravy. Au jus is not thickened by a roux (a combination of flour and butter).
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Easy Au Jus without Beef Drippings
Equipment
- Medium sauce pan
- whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups beef broth
- ¼ cup red wine
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- additional salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ tablespoon flour + 1 tablespoon of water (optional slurry mix) (if a thicker sauce is preferred)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add red onions and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the red wine, using a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan.
- Add the butter and whisk until melted. Whisk in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and salt.
- Bring au jus sauce to a boil on medium heat (no lid), and let it reduce for 5 - 6 minutes.
- Strain the sauce and add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you have beef drippings, use it in place of butter for a traditional au jus.
- Reducing the au jus without the beef trimmings will get a more concentrated and beefy flavor.
- You do not need to buy a big bottle of wine, opt for mini wine bottles.
- If a thicker sauce is preferred, mix together ½ tablespoon flour with 1 tablespoon cold water to create a slurry. Pour and mix it into the au just for a bit of thickness.
Ellen DeLeon
If you cook your roast over a bed of vegetables under the rack you have drippings for your ajou .
Kaylie
Amazing! thanks for the tip!