The "au jus" sauce is a French preparation that uses meat cooking juices as a base. This delicious sauce can be used to flavor bread and various cuts of beef. If this is your first time trying to prepare this sauce, you will be surprised by the simplicity of the recipe. Use the gravy from the roast, add broth, spices and flour and let it cook over low heat to prepare a delicious "au jus" sauce.
Ingrediants
- About 60 ml of cooking juice
- Salt and pepper (optional)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 120 ml of red wine (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of soy sauce (optional)
- 470 ml of beef broth
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the Stock Bottom
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 175 ° C and place the roast in the pan
After 10 minutes the oven should have reached the correct temperature. If you want the cooking juices to have a more pronounced taste, season the meat with salt and pepper.
You can further flavor the roast by sprinkling it with powdered or chopped garlic, or by making a mustard-based marinade. It is not a mandatory step, the cooking sauce will be tasty even if it does not season the meat at all
Step 2. Place the roast in the oven and let it cook for two hours
After about an hour and a half of cooking, check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. If it has reached 54 ° C, take it out of the oven.
If the thermometer shows that the roast has reached a temperature of 54 ° C before 2 hours have passed since the start of cooking, take it out of the oven to prevent it from becoming too hard. However, you should avoid checking the temperature too frequently so as not to let the hot air out of the oven every time
Step 3. Take the roast out of the oven and transfer it to the cutting board
Wrap it in aluminum foil to keep it warm if it's not time to eat it yet. Let it drain for a few seconds on the pan to preserve all the cooking juices.
With the roast you can prepare delicious sandwiches to dip in the "au jus" sauce following the French tradition
Part 2 of 2: Deglass the Pan and Complete the Recipe
Step 1. Place the pan on the stove and heat the gravy over medium-high heat
Make sure it does not boil too vigorously to avoid burning it and if necessary reduce the heat so that it just simmers.
Do not move away from the stove so you can readily adjust the flame
Step 2. Add the flour and flavorings to taste
Pour one and a half tablespoons of flour into the pan for every 60 ml of cooking juices. Add a little at a time and mix continuously with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming.
- According to the doses of the recipe, the quantity of the cooking juice should be around 60 ml. If it is higher, calculate how much flour to add by applying the proportion described.
- According to tradition, at this point you can add Worcestershire sauce, red wine, soy sauce or more simply salt and pepper.
Step 3. Gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon
While the roast is cooking in the oven, some pieces of meat will have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Gently peel them off with a spoon to incorporate them into the sauce (this is called "deglazing"). The charred food particles are extremely flavorful, so it's important to incorporate them into the sauce.
Use a non-abrasive utensil to scrape the bottom of the pan, such as a wooden spoon or plastic whisk. Those made of metal could scratch it
Step 4. Add 470ml of beef stock and bring it to a gentle boil
Pour it very slowly into the pan to prevent the hot cooking juices from splashing. Raise the heat slightly after adding the beef broth to bring it to a simmer.
Remember that it is best not to use the stock cube otherwise the sauce could be too salty
Step 5. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, then taste it to check that it has the right degree of flavor
By then it should have shrunk by about half and acquired a noticeably denser consistency. Taste it after letting it cool a few moments on the wooden spoon to know if you need to add more salt. Finally pour it into a bowl and serve it to accompany the main dish.
If you want, you can also add pepper
Step 6. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer
Transfer the leftover sauce to an airtight container for reuse over the next few days. While in the refrigerator, the fats could come to the surface, but it will be enough to remove them with a spoon and then heat the sauce in the microwave for about thirty seconds. Keep it in the refrigerator if you intend to eat it within a couple of days, or put it in the freezer to make it last up to 3 months.
Advice
- The "au jus" sauce should be served in small individual heated bowls.
- Other spices are also often added to flavor the au jus sauce, such as paprika, chilli, cayenne pepper and mustard powder. You can use them as you like, adding them directly to the cooking juices, if you want to give more flavor to your sauce.
