''Au jus'' () is a
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
culinary term meaning "with juice". It refers to meat dishes prepared or served together with a light
broth or
gravy
Gravy is a sauce often made from the juices of meats that run naturally during cooking and often thickened with wheat flour or corn starch for added texture. The gravy may be further coloured and flavoured with gravy salt (a simple mix of sa ...
, made from the fluids secreted by the meat as it is cooked. In
French cuisine
French cuisine () is the cooking traditions and practices from France. It has been influenced over the centuries by the many surrounding cultures of Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium, in addition to the food traditions of the re ...
, cooking ''au jus'' is a natural way to enhance the flavour of dishes, mainly chicken,
veal
Veal is the meat of calves, in contrast to the beef from older cattle. Veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed, however most veal comes from young male calves of dairy breeds which are not used for breeding. Generally, v ...
, and lamb. In
American cuisine
American cuisine consists of the cooking style and traditional dishes prepared in the United States. It has been significantly influenced by Europeans, indigenous Native Americans, Africans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and many other cultures a ...
, the term is mostly used to refer to a light
sauce
In cooking, a sauce is a liquid, cream, or semi-solid food, served on or used in preparing other foods. Most sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavor, moisture, and visual appeal to a dish. ''Sauce'' is a French wor ...
for beef recipes, which may be served with the food or placed on the side for dipping.
Ingredients and preparation
In order to prepare a natural ''jus'', the cook may simply skim off the fat from the juices left after cooking and bring the remaining meat stock and water to a boil. ''Jus'' can be frozen for six months or longer, but the flavor may suffer after this time.
''Au jus'' recipes in the United States often use
soy sauce
Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or '' As ...
,
Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, white or brown sugar, garlic, beets, carrots, onions, or other ingredients to make something more like a
gravy
Gravy is a sauce often made from the juices of meats that run naturally during cooking and often thickened with wheat flour or corn starch for added texture. The gravy may be further coloured and flavoured with gravy salt (a simple mix of sa ...
. The American ''jus'' is sometimes prepared separately, rather than being produced naturally by the food being cooked. An example could be a beef ''jus'' made by reducing beef stock to a concentrated form, (also known as ''Glace de Viande'') to accompany a meat dish. It is typically served with the
French dip sandwich
A French dip sandwich, also known as a beef dip, is a hot sandwich consisting of thinly sliced roast beef (or, sometimes, other meats) on a "French roll" or baguette. It is usually served plain but a variation is to top with Swiss cheese, onion ...
.
''Jus'' can also be made by extracting the juice from the original meat and combining it with another liquid e.g. red wine (thus forming a red wine ''jus'').
A powdered product described as ''jus'' is also sold, and is rubbed into the meat before cooking or added afterwards. Powdered forms generally use a combination of
salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
, dried
onion
An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the on ...
, and sometimes
sugar
Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or do ...
as primary flavoring agents.
Use as noun
In the United States, the phrase ''au jus'' is often used as a noun, owing to it having been corrupted in culinary references into the noun form:
Rather than a "sandwich au jus", the menu may read "sandwich with au jus".
See also
*
List of dips
*
Gravy
Gravy is a sauce often made from the juices of meats that run naturally during cooking and often thickened with wheat flour or corn starch for added texture. The gravy may be further coloured and flavoured with gravy salt (a simple mix of sa ...
, essentially a thickened ''jus''
References
{{reflist
External links
French dip with au jus
World cuisine
French cuisine
Sauces
Culinary terminology
Types of food