Learn how to make this homemade easy Au Jus recipe sauce from scratch made with simple ingredients like beef broth and without drippings. Take your prime rib, roast beef, and french dip sandwiches to the next level with this tasty gravy. The best recipe for a quick, easy and flavorful meal.
One of our families favorite meals is quick and easy roast beef sandwiches with swiss cheese and dipped in this tasty Au Jus. it's so easy and everyone loves it. A fun summer meal, or even great for the winter cold season. Serve it with a side of french fries or sweet potato fries and you're set.
This dip is easy and convenient to make because it requires only a few ingredients and minimal preparation. This recipe is without wine, and depending on the type of beef broth you use, low sodium. It's a simple beef broth that is flavored with herbs and spices, and can be made quickly with just a few basic ingredients.
We love that it can be prepared in advance and reheated when needed, making it a convenient option for busy days when you want to add flavor and moisture to a dish without spending a lot of time in the kitchen.
Be sure to try our other homemade sauces like Wingstop Ranch Recipe, or Smoky Red Pepper Crema. Try this dipping sauce with a tasty sandwich like our Grinder Salad Sandwich.
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Why We Love this Recipe
- Quick and Easy- Skip Arby's version and make your own homemade dipping sauce with this quick and easy recipe. It takes minimal effort and cleanup, and you get that from scratch taste.
- Makes a tasty meal- This is a great way to enhance the flavor of any meal. From beef dishes, to soups, even french fries and mashed potatoes. This recipe is the perfect match.
- Family Friendly- Though this dipping sauce has an amazing taste, it's not super strong which makes it a perfect family friendly addition to any meal. Kids and adults can both enjoy the french dip taste.
- Versatile- This can pair with so many different meals and meats which makes it a nice recipe to keep on hand to add flavor to any dish. You can even add it to beef broth soups to help enhance the flavor.
- Vegan- Make this a vegan alternative by using vegetable broth, and vegan butter. You won't have the same beef flavoring but it will appropriately fit a vegan diet.
- Gluten Free- If you need this to be a gluten free option, don't use flour to thicken up the sauce. The flour helps make a thicker gravy but without the flour, it taste just the same.
- Cost Effective- A great alternative or replacement for Heinz, Knorr, Johnnys, or even canned sauce. It's cheaper to make your own and you know exactly what ingredients you are putting in your body. From scratch is always a win!
- Stores well- You can store this in the refrigerator and the freezer for later uses. It's a great sauce to make in large portions and freeze for later for quick and convenient dinners.
What is Au Jus?
Also known as "with juice" in French, this dip has been a staple in culinary history for centuries. The origins of this flavorful sauce date back to the middle ages, when roasted meats were served with their natural juices.
In the 19th century it became a popular condiment in America. It is typically made by deglazing a pan with wine or beef broth and then reducing it to concentrate the flavors. This recipe simplifies the process by using beef broth and other simple ingredients.
The resulting sauce is a savory and aromatic accompaniment to prime rib, roast beef, and French dip sandwiches. It remains a classic and timeless sauce that is enjoyed by people all over the world.
Ingredients
- Beef broth- This recipe is without drippings but you want to make sure you use a high quality broth like better than bouillon or beef bone broth.
- Butter- A salted or unsalted butter is great. Or you can use beef drippings for the fat if you have any.
- Worcestershire sauce- This adds the perfect flavoring to the sauce. It gives it that taste you love.
- Garlic powder- A touch of flavor in a quick and easy way.
- All-purpose flour- Use this to help thicken up the sauce so it isn't just a watery broth. If you are needing a gluten free dip, skip this ingredient. It doesn't change the taste, just the consistency.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Heat butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic and flour and mix.
3. Slowly pour in the beef broth while whisking.
4. Then add the Worcestershire sauce and whisk vigorously until the flour is not clumped in the liquid. Serve hot.
Hint: You can make this dipping sauce with almost any type of meat. If you are making chicken turkey or any cuts of meat that have great drippings then use that broth instead of beef broth. Or use chicken or turkey broth.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegan- If you are needing a vegan substitution, no worries! Make this vegan style by using a vegetable broth and your favorite plant based butter for tasty and satisfying results.
- Creamy- For a creamy version, once the ingredients are whisked together, stir in ½ cup of whipping cream. Make sure to remove from the heat before whisking in.
- Plain Beef Broth - in a pinch and don't have time to make the full recipe. Though not as flavorful, you can use plain beef broth in a pinch for french dip or extra flavor to any meat.
- Gluten free- This can be a gluten free option by making this recipe excluding the flour. You still get all the same tastes, they texture will be slightly different.
- vegetarian-vegetable broth
- Garlic and herb- Make this a garlic and herb option by adding 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
- Chicken- Make this a chicken au jus style by using chicken broth instead of beef broth. Use all of the same ingredients and enjoy this with poultry meals.
- Turkey- For turkey sauce, use turkey drippings, or use turkey broth to make this a tasty dipping sauce and gravy for turkey.
- Dairy Free- Make this dairy free by not using butter in this recipe. Use dripping from the meat instead for the fat.
Equipment
This is a simple recipe and all you need for this is a Sauce Pan, and whisk. Using the right equipment will make for an easier experience with this recipe.
What to do with Leftover Au Jus?
You'll want to serve this with beef, such as prime rib or roast beef sandwiches, but you can also be use this as a dipping sauce for other meats or even french fries. We've even tried it as a base for soups or stews to add depth of flavor. Serving it hot is best.
Try this recipe with Italian Beef, Mississippi Pot Roast, brisket, London boil, crescents even Pork and Chicken. It has a great natural taste with these dishes.
Best of all, this recipe is so versatile, the sauce can be added to gravies and sauces to enhance their flavor.
Storage
Make sure to store leftover dipping sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
This is a freezer friendly recipe and you can store it in a freezer gallon bag or air tight container for up to 2 months. Reheat either in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Top tip
For the best results, make sure to use a high quality beef broth for a tasty french dip.
FAQ
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. It is used as a gravy or to add extra flavor to any meat dish. The spelling is French.
This recipe can be gluten free if you make it that way! For this recipe we use flour to help thicken up the sauce. You can make it with almond flour instead, or you can omit the flour all together. This will leave you with the same tasting recipe, but the consistency will be a little less thick.
To learn how to make beef au jus sauce, you need to have beef broth or drippings from the meat you have cooked liked prime rib, or a roast beef. With those drippings, or broth, you bring them to a boil with Worcestershire sauce, flour, garlic powder, and butter to make a tasty gravy or french dip.
You can buy this sauce packet mix from Knorr, Johnny's, Heinz, or even a canned version. It tastes great with french dip or other beef meals. This recipe allows you to make your own mix making it more cost effective and from scratch.
Beef consomme, beef broth and brown gravy are all different but can all serve as a great way to flavor beef and other meat recipes. Au Jus is thinner than brown gravy and acts more as a dip than a gravy. It's made with beef broth or beef drippings just like brown gravy but it's cooking process is different.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Au Jus:
Recipe
Easy Au Jus
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups beef broth I used better than bouillon or beef bone broth
- 2 Tablespoons butter or beef drippings
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour optional, for a slightly thicker sauce
Instructions
- Heat butter (or beef drippings) in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic (and flour if using) and heat until bubbly. Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and whisk to combine (If using flour, whisk vigorously until no lumps remain). Bring to a boil then remove from heat. Add salt and pepper as desired. See photos above for a visual.
Notes
- Use a high quality beef broth for best flavor and results.
- Store leftover au jus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat before use.
- Recipe photos were taken without the use of flour.
- Replace ¼ cup of the beef broth with red wine for a more traditional au jus.
- You can make au jus with almost any type of meat. Make this with chicken, turkey or any cuts of meat that have great drippings (then use the coordinating broth instead of beef broth).
Andrea
My family loves making french dip sandwiches and we usually use Johnny's Au jus sauce but after making this homemade recipe without the drippings I'm never going back, it's so quick and easy.