Au Jus -- Serving Meat in Its Own Juice (2024)

This "Juice" Can Enhance Many Meat Dishes

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Danilo Alfaro

Au Jus -- Serving Meat in Its Own Juice (1)

Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.

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Updated on 03/10/19

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Au Jus -- Serving Meat in Its Own Juice (2)

Au jus -- pronounced "oh-ZHOO" -- traditionally refers to a dish of roasted meat that is served with its own juices. In its simplest form, jus describes the pan drippings from the roasted meat. 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.

Recipes for Au Jus

Methods vary for creating au jus for such dishes asroast rib of beef-- sometimes called prime rib. Poultry, lamb, and veal can also be served au jus. A thickened version of jus called "jus lié" -- or "fond lié -- is prepared by adding cornstarch or arrowroot to brown stock and then simmering.

Au Jus Debate

Au Jus is a French culinary term that literally means "with juice," according to Wikipedia, or "with the juice," according to Culinary Lore, but there is somedebate in culinary circles about the exact translation of this delectable meat juice. If you look up the term "au jus" using online French-to-English translators, you'll find definitions as diverse as "with juice," "the juice," "in the juice" and just "juice." But, most sources agree that you want to avoid redundancy when using the term.

Culinary Lore, for example, notes that prime rib au jus means prime rib with the juice. Saying prime rib with au jusorprime rib with au jus sauce is redundant.Culinary Lore adds that another misuse of the term isFrench dip with au jus. "We can already see that 'with au jus' is redundant, but, as well, a 'French dip' withoutjuswould be nothing more than a dry piece of meat inside bread or a roll." It's important to note that when you order a French dip, you are asking for a roast beef sandwich with a side of (its own) juice.

Importance of Deglazing

Deglazing is adding liquid such as stock or wine to a pan to loosen and dissolve food particlesthat are stuck to the bottom. The flavorful mixture produced by deglazing can then be used to make a sauce -- or jus. "The resultantjusmay be seasoned, slightly reduced and strained," notes Culinary Lore.

You can achieve this loosening with water, but, of course, you wouldn't do so, because water doesn't have any flavor. Instead, you'd use wine or stock. Some recipes have you use thickening agents -- like flour -- to create a roux or paste before scraping the delicious caramelized drippings from the bottom of the pan. You then thin out the resulting liquid, creating the jus to add to your prime rib, French dip sandwiches or other dishes.

Au Jus -- Serving Meat in Its Own Juice (2024)

FAQs

What is meat served in its own natural juices? ›

Au jus (French: [o ʒy]) is a French culinary term meaning "with juice". It refers to meat dishes prepared or served together with a light broth or gravy, made from the fluids secreted by the meat as it is cooked.

Does au jus mean with juice? ›

Various kinds of meat are often served au jus in French cuisine. 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 sauce made from meat juices called? ›

Jus is a specific type of sauce, made from meat juice that has typically been derived from a roast. It's thus typically served as an accompaniment to meat, especially roast beef, which is then known as beef "au jus".

What term is used for serving roast with its natural juices? ›

Au jus is a French term that refers to a sauce or gravy made from the natural juices of the meat. It is typically served with roasted or grilled meats, such as beef, lamb, or pork, and is often used to add moisture and flavor to the dish.

What is the juice in meat called? ›

It's a solution called "weep" or "purge." It's often mistaken for blood. But if that were true, most white meat would leak red, too. It's actually a result of freezing the meat during transport. The juice is a mix of water and myoglobin. Myoglobin is a protein within the muscle.

What term means served with natural juices? ›

Au jus. Au jus refers to the serving of its own natural juices. Typically, au jus is served with roasts and is the natural way to enhance the flavor of many dishes of veal, lamb, chicken, and beef.

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.

Is there a difference between au jus and au jus gravy? ›

Like gravy, jus (pronounced zhoo) starts with the drippings from cooked meat. Unlike gravy, however, it is not thickened with flour; instead, the liquid is reduced until it reaches the desired consistency, which is usually thinner than gravy.

Is au jus blood? ›

But actually that red juice in your meat is not blood. Blood is removed during the slaughter process and afterwards very little blood remains in the muscle tissue.

Is beef broth and au jus the same thing? ›

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).

Why do Americans call jus au jus? ›

How did the use of Au Jus sauce spread throughout the United States? People started eating cooked meat, and continued to do so when they migrated to the New World. Au jus just means “with juices”, meaning the juices produced from cooking meat. Americans use the term 'steak sauce'.

Is demi-glace the same as au jus? ›

Au jus is thinner, so you might need to thicken a gravy or soup with a little cornstarch mixed with water. Also be aware that au jus is saltier than demi-glace, so you might not want to use the entire package. For quick barley, substitute quick-cooking brown rice.

What is known as liquid meat? ›

Blood consists predominantly of protein and water, and is sometimes called "liquid meat" because its composition is similar to that of lean meat.

What is it called when you soak meat in juice? ›

To marinate means to steep food in a marinade.

What is consomme made of? ›

In cooking, a consommé is a type of clear soup made from richly flavoured stock or broth that has been clarified, a process that uses egg whites to remove fat and sediment.

What is a natural substitute for meat? ›

Meat Substitutes
  • Tofu. 1/10. Tofu is a plant-based choice that packs a protein punch -- half a cup has over 11 grams. ...
  • Tempeh. 2/10. Made from fermented soybeans, tempeh has even more protein than tofu. ...
  • Seitan. 3/10. ...
  • Jackfruit. 4/10. ...
  • Mushrooms. 5/10. ...
  • Beans. 6/10. ...
  • Textured Vegetable Protein. 7/10. ...
  • Chickpeas. 8/10.
Sep 28, 2023

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