How to Make Homemade Au Jus (without meat drippings) (2024)

August 15, 2023April 25, 2024 Updated onApril 25, 2024

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Rich and flavorful, this Homemade Au Jus recipe is the perfect way to add flavor to your meals. Butter, flour, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and some seasonings are all it takes to make this delicious and simple sauce. Easily prepared with or without meat drippings, guaranteed you’ll enjoy the extra flavor boost this easy recipe will bring to your meals.

Have I ever mentioned that I am a huge fan of soup? Seriously, I could eat it every day and never tire of it. Well, let me tell you that this Au Jus is so good, I could eat it with a spoon like soup!

Homemade Au Jus

If you aren’t familiar with ‘au jus’ it is a French term meaning ‘with juice.’ It is used to refer to a dish that is served with sauce or gravy. Some recipes call for beef drippings along with the beef stock and Worcestershire but I’ve left this up to you. If you want more depth to your au jus, keep those beef drippings handy. You know, those browned bits at the bottom of the roasting pan? Use them if you have them to add more beef flavor to your au jus, but if you don’t have them this recipe works great!

You’ll be amazed that with just a few simple ingredients you can whip up a batch of your very own Homemade Au Jus. This flavorful sauce is the perfect accompaniment to any of your favorite beef dishes. Serve alongside your prime rib roast and other prime rib recipes, roast beef sandwiches, or even roast chicken for added flavor. It definitely adds that ‘je ne sais quoi’ to your favorite recipes.

Au Jus mix

You really can’t go wrong with having a stash of this au jus mix on hand. You may find that au jus, made with butter, flour, beef stock, and Worcestershire sauce along with some spices like salt, pepper, and onion powder, is just what you need to up the flavor of leftovers.

If you love this delicious au jus recipe you are sure to love these too:Simple White Country Gravy,Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce,or thisHomemade BBQ Sauce.

Homemade Au Jus Sauce

It really is worth making up a batch of this easy sauce recipe, not just to serve with your beef or chicken dishes and special occasion dinners, but you can also take your dipping to the next level. This flavorful sauce is great as a dipping sauce for a hoagie roll or those famous French rolls.

Ingredients for making au jus

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe.

• Butter– Again salted or unsalted are both fine.
• Flour– All-purpose flour works best.
• Beef stock– Choose a low-sodium beef stock so you can control the amount of salt yourself.
• Worcestershire sauce– This adds that umami flavor to the au jus for a real savory sauce.
• Onion powder– Just a touch for a slight onion flavor.
• Salt and pepper– Add salt and pepper to taste

How to make homemade au jus

Making au jus has never been easier, just follow these steps.

First:Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and then whisk in the flour.

Second: Whisk half of the beef stock into the roux, continuing to whisk over medium heat until the sauce begins to thicken.

Third:Add the Worcestershire sauce and the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Alternatively, you can pour the cooled au jus into an ice cube tray and freeze it in blocks. Once frozen remove from the tray and place in a bag or container until you are ready to use.

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this homemade au jus sauce recipe make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

What To Serve with Au Jus

Again, I could eat this au jus with a spoon! But if you are looking for recipes to serve Au Jus with, try my Italian Style Prime Rib, French Dip Sandwiches, Steak & Cheese Sandwiches, or these Crock Pot Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches!

FAQs

Au jus is a flavorful sauce that enhances the taste of dishes like roast, prime rib, or steak, and can be prepared with or without the drippings, offering a savory addition to your recipes. Here are some frequently asked questions about Au Jus:

• What is a substitute for au jus? Substitutes for au jus would be beef broth, chicken broth, consomme, or brown gravy.
• Can I use chicken broth instead of au jus? Yes, you can use chicken broth instead of au jus though your finished recipe will have a different flavor.
• Is au jus the same as beef broth? No, au jus is not the same as beef broth. Au jus is thicker and more robust than beef broth.

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

• Use a different flavor of broth; chicken or even vegetable will work too though the flavor will be slightly different.

• Change up the seasonings and add garlic powder instead of onion powder or add some spice by mixing in chili flakes.

• Add a touch of red wine for more depth of flavor.

• For more of a beefy flavor add pan drippings, also known as beef drippings, brown bits, or fat drippings, from the bottom of a roasted pan from a prime rib roast or any beef roast.

• Stir in some soy sauce instead of the Worcestershire sauce.

Tips & Tricks

• Make this au jus gluten-free by using gluten-free flour. Check the Worcestershire sauce ingredients for any gluten too.

• Slowly add the flour to the butter, whisking the whole time so you don’t get any lumps.

• Save meat drippings and store them in the freezer to add more depth of flavor to your au jus.

More Recipes to Love

• Homemade Taco Seasoning

• Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning

• Mom’s Cranberry Sauce

• Homemade Chili Seasoning

• Homemade Marinara Sauce

So there you have it, how to make au jus gravy. Though it may sound super fancy, this easy au jus sauce recipe is a great way to add another layer of flavor to your favorite dish. Make a batch and let me know what you serve it with.