Homemade Beef au Jus

Discover how to make a rich and flavorful beef au jus from drippings with simple ingredients. It’s perfect for enhancing your favorite dishes and adding tons of flavor.

Love bold, meaty flavors? Then you might also like Szechuan beef, meatball casserole, garlic butter steak bites, and coffee-rubbed steak.

Why You’ll Love It

Truly mouthwatering: Imagine the richest, most robust-flavored, heartiest brown gravy ever, and the flavor of this amazing beef au jus recipe will still exceed your expectations!
Quick and easy to make: You can make it in just 15 minutes from scratch and it’s really easy.
Easy to tweak: You can use any kind of red wine to make this au jus recipe, any brand of beef broth and then you can serve it with any herbs you like.

Homemade au Jus Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Beef drippings: Don’t throw away the drippings (the fat) when cooking beef. Save it for making beef au jus! And if you aren’t making au jus to serve with the beef you can save it for a future recipe. It keeps in the refrigerator (or freezer) for a long time.
Worcestershire sauce: Adds a bold umami flavor.
Beef broth: Use low-sodium beef broth if your beef drippings are salty or if you don’t want much salt.
Red wine: Cabernet sauvignon would be good in this recipe or you could use Pinot Noir.

How to Make au Jus with Drippings

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Start the au jus: Whisk the beef broth, drippings from the roasting pan, red wine and Worcestershire sauce in a saucepan over a medium heat, bringing it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the consistency is good.
Thicken it up (optional): Combine a tablespoon each of cornstarch and cold water and stir it into the au jus recipe if you want to thicken it up a little more. Cook it for a few more minutes, stirring often.
The finishing touches: Add black pepper to taste. Strain the au jus through a fine mesh strainer (optional) and serve from a gravy boat or serving bowl, garnished with fresh herbs if liked.

Substitutions and Variations

Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free au jus sauce, use gluten-free beef broth or beef stock.
Worcestershire sauce: Use a little soy sauce instead if you’re out of Worcestershire sauce.
Red wine: You can use red wine vinegar instead, adding extra beef broth if needed to balance out the flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizer: Begin the meal with an antipasto salad.
Main dish: Serve French dip sandwiches, prime rib roast, Italian steak, or mashed potatoes with this delicious beef au jus recipe. 
Dessert: How does mixed berry jello sound for dessert?

How to Store Prime Rib au Jus

Store: Let the au jus cool completely and then keep leftovers in an airtight container (perhaps a mason jar) in the refrigerator and eat within 5 days.
Freeze: You can freeze it in an airtight container (leaving a little room at the top for expansion) for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: You can warm it back up in a pan on the stove.