Rich and flavorful beef au jus recipe made with or without drippings and in just 15 minutes! This quick and easy au jus sauce is perfect for serving with meat, French dip sandwiches, Christmas dinner, and more! And, it's freezer friendly!
Melt the butter (or beef drippings) in a saucepan over medium-high heat.If you used a roasting pan to cook your meat that can be heated over the stovetop, you could prepare this au jus recipe directly in the pan and save on washing up. If doing so, use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
Add the flour, whisking well to ensure there are no lumps.
Add the red wine vinegar/red wine, continuing to whisk, for two minutes. During this time, the color will change, and the roux will thicken.
Pour in half the beef broth, whisking constantly. Once it's well incorporated and beginning to thicken, add the remaining broth and the Worcestershire sauce, whisking well.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for five minutes. During this time, the beef au jus will thicken further.
Season to taste, then serve and enjoy!
Storage Instructions
Storing: Store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.Reheating: You can reheat it using the microwave or stovetop. You may need an extra splash of water or stock to bring it back to the correct consistency.Freeze: You can freeze it in an airtight container, ice cube tray, or Ziplock bag for up to 6 months. However, the flavor is best within 3-4 months.
Notes
Whisk constantly: When dealing with a flour roux, the key to avoiding lumpy sauce is to whisk constantly once the flour is added.
If your beef drippings are very fatty: You can pour them into a glass and scoop out some of the fat from the top.
Adjust the consistency: Add more flour if you prefer a thicker sauce. However, if you add it directly to the pan, it will become lumpy. So, incorporate it with a small amount of liquid to form a paste first. Then mix that into the au jus. For a thinner beef au jus, reduce the flour quantity.
Optional add-ins:
Onion: Sauté sliced onions in the pan with melted butter. Use a bit of onion powder in a pinch.
Soy sauce: You can use this in place of salt for more depth and umami. Use reduced-sodium soy sauce if preferred OR coconut aminos/tamari if gluten-free. Marmite would also work.
Garlic: Adjust the amount to taste.
Mustard: I recommend using Dijon mustard, though regular yellow mustard will work in a pinch to add depth.
Fresh Herbs (or dried): i.e., thyme, rosemary, sage, etc., could add more layers of flavor to the beef au jus recipe.
Check the blog post for more tips, serving recommendations, and answers to top FAQs!