In the United States, depending on where you are, gravy can refer to a couple of different things. In the South it can mean a sauce made from sausage drippings, flour, and milk that is often poured over flaky buttermilk biscuits. If you are Italian-American, gravy (or Sunday gravy) might be the huge pot of tomato based ragù made on weekends for a big family gathering.
For this story we are looking at the more widespread understanding of gravy. That is to say, the thick, savory sauce that frequently accompanies a nice roast, whether it is roast turkey, roast chicken, roast beef, or more.
But what is the difference between gravy and jus?
Gravy is usually made with a bit of stock and the lovely bits that stick to the roasting pan, herbs, and salt and pepper. The mixture is thickened with flour, and perhaps a bit of butter is added in the end for some nice richness.
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. Obviously it takes longer to reduce liquid to a silky, viscous consistency - that’s one reason you tend to see jus on menus more often than at your friend’s house accompanying the roast chicken.
So there you have it, jus is a reduction and gravy relies on a thickening agent. Both, however are delicious and pair fabulously with the only roast chicken recipes you’ll ever need.
FAQs
Au jus is basically a concentrated version of drippings, whereas gravy is the same thing, only it gets thickened using a roux or another type of thickening agent. In terms of flavor, the difference lies with the cook's personal preference for herbs and spices, which dictate how the meat drippings are seasoned.
What is the main difference between pan gravy and jus? ›
Pan gravy is thickened with a starch, while jus is not. What is the main difference between pan gravy and jus. Answers: - Pan gravy is flavored with mirepoix, while jus is not.
What's the difference between au jus and gravy mix? ›
So there you have it, jus is a reduction and gravy relies on a thickening agent. Both, however are delicious and pair fabulously with the only roast chicken recipes you'll ever need.
What's the difference between a gravy and a zoo? ›
Both may use pan drippings from the roast, but au jus is a light sauce, while the gravy is thickened using a roux. Make a roux to whisk into the sauce to make gravy from your au jus sauce.
What makes a jus? ›
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 is the difference between gravy and broth? ›
What are the differences between broth, stock, gravy, or sauce? Broth & stock are different names for the same thing, gravy is just a thickened stock and can be a sauce.
What makes gravy different than sauce? ›
In times long gone, refrigeration didn't exist, so meat, fish, and poultry would spoil quickly. Sauce was created to enhance the flavor of a food in the face of decay. Some common sauces include honey mustard, ketchup, or cranberry sauce. Gravy is a sauce, but one that is specifically made from meat juices.
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 au jus made of? ›
Au jus recipes in the United States often use soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, white or brown sugar, garlic, beets, carrots, onions, or other ingredients to make something more like a gravy. The American jus is sometimes prepared separately, rather than being produced naturally by the food being cooked.
Can you turn au jus into gravy? ›
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.
Jus is a French culinary term for what you can think of as the posh cousin of gravy. It's an intensely savoury, glossy sauce made from homemade stock or meat drippings, heavily reduced to concentrate the flavour.
How to make jus thicker? ›
To thicken any kind of sauce, mix a little cornstarch ( the amount depends on how much liquid you want to thicken) with cold water, and make a slurry. Add the slurry to the meat juices a little at a time, and continue to stir, over the heat, until it bubbles a bit or you see the consistency you prefer.
What's the difference between a sauce and a jus? ›
What is the difference between a sauce and a jus? A sauce is a spoonable ingredient, applied to the top of food, such as pizza sauce. Or, mixed in w/ ingredients, such as pasta sauce. A jus is usually a much thinner consistency liquid, a broth, which reflects the main ingredient.
Can I substitute au jus gravy for brown gravy? ›
Can you use brown gravy instead of au jus? Yes! A 1 ounce packet of brown gravy mix can be used in place of the au jus mix. The flavor may be slightly different because there is a different amount of sodium and a different seasoning base, but it shouldn't change the recipe much and it will still be delicious!
What is jus lie in cooking? ›
Jus lie' “A French term referring to meat juice that has been lightly thickened with a either arrowroot or cornstarch. A similar term “au jus” meaning “with juice” describes the serving of meat, most often beef, with the natural juices that were produced while the meat was being cooked.” ( www.epicurus.com)
Why do New Yorkers call sauce gravy? ›
Some people believe that when sauce stands alone, it can be called sauce, but when meat is added, it becomes gravy. An article from Matador Network contributes it to immigrants assimilating - they saw people putting actual gravy on turkey and started calling sauce gravy, since it went on top of meat too.
Do real Italians call it sauce or gravy? ›
Here's the gist: the two ways Italians say “sauce” in Italian are salsa and/or sugo. Both words translate as “sauce” but never as “gravy.” Ragù doesn't even translate as “gravy” but comes close enough since it involves meat which is what people really mean when they say “gravy” (my personal opinion).
