Au Jus -- Serving Meat in Its Own Juice (2024)

This "Juice" Can Enhance Many Meat Dishes

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Danilo Alfaro

Au Jus -- Serving Meat in Its Own Juice (1)

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Updated on 03/10/19

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Au Jus -- Serving Meat in Its Own Juice (2)

Au jus -- pronounced "oh-ZHOO" -- traditionally refers to a dish of roasted meat that is served with its own juices. In its simplest form, jus describes the pan drippings from the roasted meat. 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.

Recipes for Au Jus

Methods vary for creating au jus for such dishes asroast rib of beef-- sometimes called prime rib. Poultry, lamb, and veal can also be served au jus. A thickened version of jus called "jus lié" -- or "fond lié -- is prepared by adding cornstarch or arrowroot to brown stock and then simmering.

Au Jus Debate

Au Jus is a French culinary term that literally means "with juice," according to Wikipedia, or "with the juice," according to Culinary Lore, but there is somedebate in culinary circles about the exact translation of this delectable meat juice. If you look up the term "au jus" using online French-to-English translators, you'll find definitions as diverse as "with juice," "the juice," "in the juice" and just "juice." But, most sources agree that you want to avoid redundancy when using the term.

Culinary Lore, for example, notes that prime rib au jus means prime rib with the juice. Saying prime rib with au jusorprime rib with au jus sauce is redundant.Culinary Lore adds that another misuse of the term isFrench dip with au jus. "We can already see that 'with au jus' is redundant, but, as well, a 'French dip' withoutjuswould be nothing more than a dry piece of meat inside bread or a roll." It's important to note that when you order a French dip, you are asking for a roast beef sandwich with a side of (its own) juice.

Importance of Deglazing

Deglazing is adding liquid such as stock or wine to a pan to loosen and dissolve food particlesthat are stuck to the bottom. The flavorful mixture produced by deglazing can then be used to make a sauce -- or jus. "The resultantjusmay be seasoned, slightly reduced and strained," notes Culinary Lore.

You can achieve this loosening with water, but, of course, you wouldn't do so, because water doesn't have any flavor. Instead, you'd use wine or stock. Some recipes have you use thickening agents -- like flour -- to create a roux or paste before scraping the delicious caramelized drippings from the bottom of the pan. You then thin out the resulting liquid, creating the jus to add to your prime rib, French dip sandwiches or other dishes.

Au Jus -- Serving Meat in Its Own Juice (2024)

FAQs

What is meat served in its own natural juices? ›

Au jus is meat served with its own natural juices, commonly with a beef roast.

What is a sauce made from meat juices called? ›

Jus is a specific type of sauce, made from meat juice that has typically been derived from a roast.

What is the difference between a jus lie and an au jus? ›

Recipes for Au Jus

Methods vary for creating au jus for such dishes as roast rib of beef -- sometimes called prime rib. Poultry, lamb, and veal can also be served au jus. A thickened version of jus called "jus lié" -- or "fond lié -- is prepared by adding cornstarch or arrowroot to brown stock and then simmering.

Does au jus mean with juice? ›

Various kinds of meat are often served au jus in French cuisine. 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.

What is meat served with its own juice? ›

Au jus (French: [o ʒy]) is a French culinary term meaning "with juice". It refers to meat dishes prepared or served together with a light broth or gravy, made from the fluids secreted by the meat as it is cooked.

What is it called when you soak meat in juice? ›

A marinade is a savory, acidic sauce in which a food is soaked to enrich its flavor and tenderize it. To marinate means to steep food in a marinade.

Is there a difference between au jus and au jus gravy? ›

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.

What is the difference between beef broth and au jus? ›

Beef broth is made by simmering beef bones, mirepoix (typically onion, carrots, and celery), hearty herbs, and spices in water, to extract flavor into the liquid. Au jus is basically beefed up beef broth. Amplify the savory flavor of beef broth by simmering it with drippings from roast beef (double beef flavor).

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.

Is demi-glace the same as au jus? ›

Au jus is thinner, so you might need to thicken a gravy or soup with a little cornstarch mixed with water. Also be aware that au jus is saltier than demi-glace, so you might not want to use the entire package. For quick barley, substitute quick-cooking brown rice.

Is au jus served hot or cold? ›

Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the au jus for 5-10 minutes, or until it reaches your desired consistency. Serve the au jus hot, poured over the roasted.

What is jus lié? ›

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)

What is the meat juice called? ›

Myoglobin is a protein found in red meat that transports oxygen in the cells. As a piece of meat ages, the muscle tissue breaks down, causing the liquid and myoglobin to leak out. The liquid is called purge, and it can be a sign that a cut isn't fresh, but it doesn't always mean the cut is bad.

Why do Americans call jus au jus? ›

How did the use of Au Jus sauce spread throughout the United States? People started eating cooked meat, and continued to do so when they migrated to the New World. Au jus just means “with juices”, meaning the juices produced from cooking meat. Americans use the term 'steak sauce'.

What are meat drippings called? ›

Fond is one of the key ingredients to a delicious gravy or pan sauce. So never, ever wash away those brown bits in the bottom of your pan. Your grandmother may have called it pan drippings, but the French have a fancier name for it: fond.

What are meat juices called? ›

The “juice” in your steak looks and tastes nothing like actual blood, because it isn't; it's called myoglobin, and it's a protein that's only found in muscle tissue. Like its cousin hemoglobin, which transports oxygen in blood, myoglobin's job is to carry oxygen through muscle.

What is known as liquid meat? ›

Blood consists predominantly of protein and water, and is sometimes called "liquid meat" because its composition is similar to that of lean meat.

What term means served with natural juices? ›

Au jus. Au jus refers to the serving of its own natural juices. Typically, au jus is served with roasts and is the natural way to enhance the flavor of many dishes of veal, lamb, chicken, and beef.

What term is used for serving roast with its natural juices? ›

Au jus is a French term that refers to a sauce or gravy made from the natural juices of the meat. It is typically served with roasted or grilled meats, such as beef, lamb, or pork, and is often used to add moisture and flavor to the dish.

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