# Au jus



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I'd like to make a prime rib soon and I want to develop a very nice jus.  Sometimes at restaurants they serve a very dark jus, mine never comes out dark.  Basically I roast my prime rib sitting on top of a mix of onions, garlic, celery and carrots that have been tossed with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and dry thyme.  After roasting I add a little beef stock to the pan and reduce, skim and serve.

Are there any ingredients I'm missing from my jus?  How can I make it more flavorful?


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Start with some good beef stock in the bottom, Maybe a little red wine.

Or to backtrack to the tomato paste thread, some tomato paste among the vegies will contribute some flavor and darken up the color.

Or do both.

Broth from a good French Onion Soup does a nice stand in for leftovers, though I've cheated  and made it ahead just to have lots of faux jus for things like French dip sandwiches and such.


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## chrisbelgium (Oct 2, 2010)

I don't get use of the term "au jus", french indeed, but probably something very american?

Is it synonyme to roasting drippings?

I can only add that boosting up the flavor and color of cooking juices requires one thing; add a spoonfull of dark soy! Yummie!


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

We use the term au jus when we use the drippings for the roast.  It's often associated with prime rib because in most cases of making a roast we use the drippings to make gravy instead.


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## prairiechef (May 22, 2010)

The term "au jus" is used to say that your dish is being served with a jus... Prime Rib au jus. One cannot make an "au jus", but one can make a "jus". Otherwise it's a_ bit _like saying "I am making a _with_ juice".

Sorry. I had to pipe in, it's one of my biggest terminology peeves.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

It sounds like you should have a decent tasting jus.  If you can, use fresh thyme.  Maybe some butter as a final finish to it???

Regarding color, using a good stock from roasted bones will help.  Or even a good beef base (definitely not bullion cubes) will add both flavor and color.  When all else fails... kitchen bouquet.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

p.s.  better color also happens wehn the meat juices build a fond directly on the pan.  I often roast without a vegetable base and get the vegetal flavors integrated via the stock.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

PrairieChef said:


> The term "au jus" is used to say that your dish is being served with a jus... Prime Rib au jus. One cannot make an "au jus", but one can make a "jus". Otherwise it's a_ bit _like saying "I am making a _with_ juice".
> 
> Sorry. I had to pipe in, it's one of my biggest terminology peeves.


 I don't know who you're correcting but my OP was correct regarding use of terminology.


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## pattypan (Dec 12, 2010)

thanks Prairie Chef , the term with au jus drives me crazy too!

I think gravy may be the jus thickened up?

however, Pastry person here.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

When all else fails us "Au Caramel Couleur" That's French for, kick ass way to color gravy and au jus.............CBB


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Has anyone put worschestershire sauce in their jus?


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Nothing wrong with worcestershire sauce. But go with a light hand as it adds salt and some sourness too. Won't have quite as much color impact as I think you're looking for but will contribute nicely.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

I put Woo sauce in my Turkey gravy last week, needed a bit of color..............


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

ChefBillyB said:


> When all else fails us "Au Caramel Couleur" That's French for, kick ass way to color gravy and au jus.............CBB


 I just googled that and tried to buy some. I think what I'm getting, though, is a 24 year-old French bi-racial model who is at least 8 inches taller than me. Talk about kick ass!


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## chrisbelgium (Oct 2, 2010)

PrairieChef said:


> The term "au jus" is used to say that your dish is being served with a jus... Prime Rib au jus. One cannot make an "au jus", but one can make a "jus". Otherwise it's a_ bit _like saying "I am making a _with_ juice".


That explanation is very correct and that's why "au jus" seems such a strange terminologie to me and probably also to anyone who understands and speaks french. It doesn't make sense. There should be a noun in front of the "au", like the example PrairieChef gives; prime rib au jus. Many times in french they would even use prime rib dans son jus or avec son jus.

Obviously the terminologie "au jus" has started a life on it's own in the US. I have no problem with that, that's how all languages develope.

@ChefBillyB; identical mistake like PrairieChef explains for _Au Caramel Couleur; _there should be a noun in front of the expression or it should be used without the "au". Also, it's Couleur Caramel, not Caramel Couleur, sorry.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I tried making it with a splash of soy sauce as ChrisBelgium suggested.  It worked, turned a nice dark color but I won't add as much next time because it has an effect on the flavor.  Otherwise it was a delicious jus that accompanied our prime rib valentine's dinner.


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## chrisbelgium (Oct 2, 2010)

Koukouvagia said:


> I tried making it with a splash of soy sauce as ChrisBelgium suggested. It worked, turned a nice dark color but I won't add as much next time because it has an effect on the flavor. Otherwise it was a delicious jus that accompanied our prime rib valentine's dinner.


Yeah, soy can be very salty too. Best to deglaze first with some bouillon or stock and then add the soy. Extra salt isn't even needed.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

A lot of restaurants and hotels add a shot of Maggi and Kitchen Bouquet. They both enhance the color. Add after cooking as they get a bit bitter when cooked.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

They also make a Black Soy, it's thicker, sweeter, made with Molasses, less salty..............CBB


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

ChefBillyB said:


> They also make a Black Soy, it's thicker, sweeter, made with Molasses, less salty..............CBB


Billy ! Ever heard the term "Black Jack"" (used years ago)


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Better than Bullion beef base, watch the salt to start because it adds a lot of salt.


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## prairiechef (May 22, 2010)

Are we really discussing Maggi and Kitchen Bouqet on a cooking site?

The secret to a good jus is... wait for it... good stock.

Home cooks. Pro cooks. I have never worked in a kitchen that uses Maggi or Ktichen Bouqet... or aromat... or.. or.. or...

Start with a well made stock, and the rest is easy as pie. I make it and freeze it in 500 ml bricks. Fill my freezer with it, it's there when I need it.


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## capsaicin (Jan 16, 2011)

I have "cheated" with shortcuts like soy sauce and liquid smoke from time to time.  Maggi and other such I don't touch.  Soy sauce at least I can find natural brewed versions of, but I can't even guess how Maggi sauce is made.

Besides, Worcestershire sauce is derived from an Indian recipe, and ketchup also has Asian/Pacific Island roots.  So, soy sauce is just a short leap.  At least it's an actual sauce, not just a collection of chemicals.

I have found that by using the heavy, sweet soy, and cooking it first by dribbling it into hot butter or bacon grease and letting it bubble for a bit, you get rid of the characteristic soy sauce flavor while retaining the richness and color.

But yeah, the proper way to do it is red wine and good stock.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

BrianShaw said:


> I just googled that and tried to buy some. I think what I'm getting, though, is a 24 year-old French bi-racial model who is at least 8 inches taller than me. Talk about kick ass!


No matter what the cost, buy two


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

chefedb said:


> Billy ! Ever heard the term "Black Jack"" (used years ago)


Chefedb, I remember Johnny Walker Black, Black Velvet, refresh my memory on Black Jack..........................


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## stewnazi (Dec 6, 2010)

A bit of instant coffee works for me to colour up a good 'au jus' (US) without compromising the flavour too much and keeping the salt out.


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## prairiechef (May 22, 2010)

BlackJack as I know it, is an onion, halved and seared black on the cut surface. Tossed into poorly made stocks to add colour.


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## byrdie (Nov 24, 2010)

black jack I know of, or knew of, is completely different than one that Prairie Chef described.

Black Jack I know of is basically burned sugar mainly used to give black color in pastry.

What PairieChef described is known to me as 'onion brulee', or 'oignon brulee'. Which I often use when making consomme.

I've never heard of 'Maggi', however.  I'm curious of its magical properties.  I have seen and used kitchen bouquet before..

 I feel that Maggi is a lot like kitchen bouquet?


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

ChefBillyB said:


> Chefedb, I remember Johnny Walker Black, Black Velvet, refresh my memory on Black Jack..........................


It was made in the pastry shop and given to the kitchen, It was burnt sugar syrup, bitter as all hech and used by the cooks to color gravies. Nasty stuff


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Maggi is more a seasoning, heavy on slt imparts little if any color. Bouquet is more a coloring. I have seen maggi used in soups, sauces, dressings, consommes you name it. Taste like beef base,worschestire ,salt and some herbs mixed together


byrdie said:


> black jack I know of, or knew of, is completely different than one that Prairie Chef described.
> 
> Black Jack I know of is basically burned sugar mainly used to give black color in pastry.
> 
> ...


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## chrisbelgium (Oct 2, 2010)

Maggi is well known over here. Comes in small bottles and contains a dark liquid seasoning with a strong salt and *celery* taste.

Hence the popular name over here for a herb that you know as "lovage" = maggikruid in dutch, which means maggiherb, referring to the celerytaste of Maggi seasoning. Lovage has a very pronounced celery taste, although it's no family of celery as such.

Also, does anyone *put a small tbsp of flour in the roasting drippings*, let it fry a while, add some bouillon or stock, let thicken and like I already suggested, add a dash of dark soy to season and colour?

The flour makes the jus just a little thicker so it sticks to your beef. Delicious!


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## titomike (May 20, 2009)

Yep...Blackjack...a by-product we have from multi-tasking with butterscotch /img/vbsmilies/smilies/blushing.gif & repetitive reheating for sugarwork ...not fully burnt of course but no longer sweet... stored in the freezer, old school and ideally innocuos if you just want to control colour...I use it often

Here Maggi is a brand is of powdered soups, stocks and gravy browning...like Knorr

Is Au jus the same as Jus roti then?


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

ChrisBelgium said:


> Maggi is well known over here. Comes in small bottles and contains a dark liquid seasoning with a strong salt and *celery* taste.
> 
> Hence the popular name over here for a herb that you know as "lovage" = maggikruid in dutch, which means maggiherb, referring to the celerytaste of Maggi seasoning. Lovage has a very pronounced celery taste, although it's no family of celery as such.
> 
> ...


Chris ! if I am not mistaken Maggi is packed by Nestle who is huge in Europe. And yes we add flour to the drippings this starts the formation of the Brown Roux.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I thought that when one adds flour they are actually making a gravy.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

With all the oil and grease from the roasting of the meat it starts as a roux and I believe when stock or liquid is added it is then a true gravy


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## chrisbelgium (Oct 2, 2010)

Koukouvagia said:


> I thought that when one adds flour they are actually making a gravy.


Absolutely, but isn't that delicious?


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## byrdie (Nov 24, 2010)

Thanks, Chefedb, for the explanation!

Now that Maggi sounds like MSG used in common homes in Korea.

Every household had a little bowl of MSG right next to salt and used on anything and everything. Though I think its use is less popular now due to its controversy. I put a little MSG in anything that says "No MSG added." /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif Not really, but I feel the urge.


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## pcieluck (Dec 9, 2010)

Maybe I just like making flames, and really big flames, but I've read many a persons jus recipe and see lots of whine, but no cognac. Anyone make theirs with cognac or brandy?


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I don't use any alcohol in my jus, rarely have done so.


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