Au Jus Sauce
This sauce, which literally means “with juice”, is a classic accompaniment to prime rib. However, it is also delicious when served with a French Dip sandwich.
You might make if differently if you are already roasting a rib roast or tenderloin, as opposed to making it from scratch to serve as a dip with a sandwich. We’ll cover both here.
If you are fixing prime rib, you will have already browned some onions and beef bones in a skillet and added them to the roasting pan. Now since you will be finishing the Au Jus during the half hour the roast rests on the cutting board, get the other ingredients measured out and standing by.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound beef bones, such as rib, oxtail, or other
2 onions, chopped in large pieces
2 tablespoons tomato paste
garlic salt and pepper
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth
2 cups chicken broth
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
INSTRUCTIONS
If you have been following the prime rib recipe, you will have already used the first four ingredients, and they will be in the roasting pan with the roast. If you’re making the Au Jus for French Dip sandwiches, or for leftover roast beef, brown the bones, onions, and tomato paste in a skillet for ten or fifteen minutes.
Now the roast is out of the oven and on the cutting board, tented with foil. Put the roasting pan on the stove (or, if you just browned the bones and onion, they will already be on the stove). Heat the pan over medium heat, and add the wine. Scrape up the fond from the bottom of the pan, and add the broth and thyme.
Simmer for 20 minutes or so, and strain the jus into a gravy boat or other container. Serve with the meal, or in individual cups for dipping. If you’ve made Yorkshire Pudding, use it to sop up some of the delicious jus!