It’s no wonder why red wine au jus is a staple in fancy steak restaurants. This classic, incredibly delicious sauce comes from a mixture of meat juices, red wine, and seasonings, making it the ultimate pairing with dozens of meats. While you might be used to seeing this savory side at your favorite steak houses (I’m looking at you, Outback and Texas Roadhouse!), this super-easy recipe will teach you how to bring the same five-star flavors to your home.
Au Jus Ingredients
Making au jus for prime rib is an easy way to add delicious layers of juicy, beefy flavor to your scrumptious main. With three simple ingredients, you won’t have to spend extra time or money preparing this must-have taste enhancer.
- Beef broth or beef stock: You can use either beef broth or beef stock in this rib roast au jus sauce recipe. I prefer beef broth, as it has a less overpowering, concentrated flavor that better balances the richness of the pan drippings. However, if you decide to use beef broth, try to purchase a low-sodium variety to avoid oversalting your sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce: This pantry staple is essential to giving your standing rib roast au jus delectable umami flavors.
- Red wine: Though the classic au jus recipe uses red wine to get its crisp, acidic flavors, this ingredient is optional. If you want to make this au jus recipe without wine, simply add the equivalent amount of beef broth to your mixture. However, if you do use red wine, be sure not to use cooking wine. Cooking wine tends to be of lesser quality, filled with preservatives and extra salt that may negatively affect your recipe’s flavor profile. Instead, I suggest using a French red drinking wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir.
- Seasonings: Because beef drippings already pack a ton of meaty, flavorsome taste, all you need to season your prime rib roast au jus is a simple mix of salt and pepper.
- Pan drippings: If you’re making prime rib, I highly recommend adding the drippings deposited in your roasting pan to your au jus, giving it a hearty, beefy finish. Remember, too, that straining your drippings is optional for this recipe. I prefer not to strain my pan drippings for an extra deep taste and thicker texture (thanks to the generous coating of my Prime Rib Rub), but you can strain yours if you want a clear au jus. Furthermore, you can also make this prime rib au jus without drippings, though it will have a less full-bodied flavor profile.
Optional Add-Ins
These tasty additions are guaranteed to add delectable notes of bright, robust flavors to your prime rib au jus sauce recipe. Whatever you add, however, be sure to strain your mix before serving.
- A sprig of rosemary or thyme: Floral, fragrant, and bright, these fresh herbs add a light finish to rib roast jus, perfectly balancing its heartier base.
- A few cloves of smashed garlic while simmering: If you want to give your au jus bold, savory-sweet undertones, add a few cloves of smashed garlic to your sauce while it simmers. The heat will help develop its depth of flavor, more thoroughly infusing the recipe with garlicky flavors.
How to Make Au Jus for Prime Rib?
Making au jus from prime rib is an easy way to bring your gourmet meal to the next level—in just three steps! Not to mention, it is a great way to use the leftover prime rib drippings!
- Place the ingredients in a saucepan: Add the pan drippings, beef broth, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper to a saucepan, and set the burner to medium heat.
- Simmer: Let the mixture simmer until you’re ready to serve your prime rib.
- Serve: Taste the au jus for seasoning, add more if necessary, and transfer the sauce to a pitcher. Serve alongside your prime rib, and enjoy!
How to Store, Freeze, and Thaw?
Once you make this homemade au jus for prime rib, you’ll want to use it in all your favorite meat recipes. These expert storage tips will ensure you can keep your sauce as fresh and flavorful as possible, no matter how (or when!) you want to use it.
- Store: Store your prime rib jus in an airtight container, such as a jar, in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Freeze: To freeze this delicious au jus recipe, bring it to room temperature. Then, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or jar, or pour it into an ice cube tray for easy future use. However, if you use a jar, leave a few inches at the top to accommodate any expansion, especially as a top layer forms over the sauce. You can then store your au jus in the freezer until ready to use.
- Thaw: When ready to thaw your leftover au jus, place it in the refrigerator overnight. Then, reheat it in the microwave or stovetop before using.
How to Use Prime Rib Au Jus Sauce in Your Daily Cooking?
Though this recipe shows you how to make au jus for a rib roast, this tasty dish has countless other delectable uses. Use this savory sauce in anything from warming stews to tasty braising liquid, and you’ll enjoy top-notch dishes every night of the week. Below are a few ideas to get you started:
- Dipping sauce: The most popular way to enjoy this flavorful sauce is to use it as an au jus dipping sauce for prime rib, beef tenderloin, and other beef dishes. This tantalizing pair will ensure every bite has maximal moisture and flavor.
- Drizzle over meat for extra moisture or flavor: If you’re on the hunt for the juiciest, most flavorful meat, au jus is precisely what you need. Drizzle your steak, filet mignon, or prime rib with au jus sauce, and every bite will come to life with succulence and hearty taste.
- Sandwiches: Not only does this recipe make a great addition to various meat-based mains, but it also makes an incomparable dip for your go-to sandwiches. You’ll get dozens of compliments when you serve this gourmet sauce alongside everything from delicious Leftover Rib Roast Sandwiches to tender French dip sandwiches to gooey Philly cheesesteaks or even Chicago-style Italian beef.
- Mashed potatoes: You don’t need to prepare a fresh batch of gravy to enliven your mashed potato recipe. Instead, pour some meaty au jus on top of your fluffy potatoes, and you won’t be able to resist a second helping.
- Cooking or braising liquid: Infused with bold, meaty flavor, this prime rib jus recipe is a no-brainer when preparing an equally flavorful, all-purpose cooking liquid. Use it to braise protein-packed meats or cook your favorite vegetables; every forkful will astound you with its ample flavor.
- Soups and stews: If you want a hassle-free solution for bland soup recipes, au jus is your answer! Pour some of this mouthwatering blend into your savory soup or stew recipes—especially beef-based ones!—and you’ll be spooning even more into your bowl in no time.
Expert Tips
There’s no need to stress over this easy au jus for prime rib. These helpful tips will ensure your savory mixture tastes delicious with any meaty meal, whether you prepare prime ribeye roast for special occasions or roast beef sandwiches for a weekday lunch.
- Pan drippings: When you make au jus from prime rib drippings, it’s up to you whether or not you want to strain your pan drippings before adding them to your au jus mixture. I usually use un-strained drippings, as the thicker bits add extra flavor to the juice. Still, you may strain your drippings if you prefer a clearer sauce.
- A word on reducing: It’s important to let your ribeye au jus simmer a bit to help the flavors fully develop, concentrate, and blend during the cooking process. However, be careful not to over-simmer the mixture. Otherwise, the sauce will become too intense as it reduces, giving it an unpleasantly overpowering taste.
- Seasoning: The best au jus sauce for prime rib is one that has an ideal amount of seasoning. Therefore, it’s essential that you taste your beef sauce before serving and add additional seasoning if necessary.
- Fat content: While preparing your au jus sauce for prime rib, you may find that the mixture produces too much fat for your liking—especially when the drippings come from your prime rib’s fat cap. If your simmered liquid has too much, feel free to skim the top to eliminate excess fat.
- Ideal consistency: A classic French au jus sauce is very liquidy, making it the perfect addition to hearty beef mains, whether drizzled on top or served as a dipping sauce. While it is not traditional, if you prefer a more creamy au jus sauce, you can mix a tablespoon (or more – depending on the consistency you are after) of cornstarch with some of the liquid and make a cornstarch slurry. Then you can pour it into the au jus sauce and mix until combined and reached a creamer consistency.
FAQs
French for “with the juice,” this iconic recipe is a savory, light sauce made from cooked meat juices, broth, and a few seasonings. Most often, people serve au jus as a sauce or drizzle to enhance the juiciness and flavor of beef dishes.
Au jus comes together with a basic mixture of meat drippings, broth or stock, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce, simmered over medium heat until ready to serve.
Yes! Freezing au jus is a great way to simplify future meal prep and eliminate kitchen waste. Just be sure to let the sauce come to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight jar or ice cube tray, and leave some room at the top of your jar to accommodate expansion during storage.
Though both are rich, meat-based sauces, gravy is much thicker, using butter, cornstarch, and/or all-purpose flour to create a creamier texture. Brown gravy also uses more seasonings to achieve its full-bodied taste, sometimes adding ingredients like garlic or onions to fill out its profile. By contrast, au jus is a thinner, more natural blend of ingredients, getting its buttery, savory flavor from the natural juices that melt off of cooked meats—especially prime rib. Instead of adding extra thickeners, au jus uses a blend of red wine and Worcestershire sauce as its primary flavor additives.
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Prime Rib Au Jus Recipe
Ingredients
- Pan drippings
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- ½ cup red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the pan drippings, beef broth, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Once it comes to a boil, turn it down to low heat and let it simmer until you are ready to serve it with your prime rib.
- Taste for seasoning and add in more, if necessary. Transfer the au jus to a pitcher for easy serving.
Notes
- Yields: This recipe makes 2 cups plus a few tablespoons of au jus. It is ideal for serving with a 7-pound prime rib, which serves 8 people. The calorie information below is per cup.
- Pan drippings: The pan drippings of our Reverse Seared Prime Rib recipe were about 3 tablespoons. We prefer not to strain it as we enjoy the bits and pieces coming from the bottom of the pan (thanks to a generous coating of our Prime Rib Seasoning), but if you prefer a clear au jus, feel free to strain the juices prior to adding to the pan.
- Without wine: If you prefer to make this recipe using no wine, use an equal amount of beef broth instead.
- Without drippings: If you do not have any drippings, simply omit them. It won’t be as flavorful, but it will still be good.
- Storage: Store your prime rib jus in an airtight container, such as a jar, in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Freeze: To freeze, bring it to room temperature. Then, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or jar, or pour it into an ice cube tray for easy future use. However, if you use a jar, leave a few inches at the top to accommodate any expansion, especially as a top layer forms over the sauce. You can then store it in the freezer until ready to use.
- Thaw: When ready to thaw your leftover au jus, place it in the refrigerator overnight. Then, reheat it in the microwave or stovetop before using.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
