Jus

Jus, French for "juice", is a light, thin sauce made from the natural juices of roasted meat, usually boosted with stock and reduced. It is not thickened with flour. It is served with roast beef, lamb and chicken, and is the dipping sauce for a French dip sandwich. "Au jus" on a menu means "served with its juice".

How to do it

1. Roast your meat. Lift it out to rest and pour off most of the fat from the pan.
2. Put the pan over medium-high heat. Add a chopped shallot and cook for 1 minute.
3. Deglaze with 120 ml (1/2 cup) of red or white wine, scraping up the fond.
4. Add 250 to 500 ml (1 to 2 cups) of beef, veal or chicken stock and a sprig of thyme.
5. Simmer until reduced by about half and the flavor is strong.
6. Pour in any juices from the resting meat. Strain, skim off the fat and season.

How to tell it is done

The jus is clear and brown, thin enough to run freely, and tastes deeply of meat. If it tastes watery, reduce it more.

Why it works

Reducing concentrates the flavor and the gelatin from the stock and meat, which gives jus a light body without flour. Stock made from bones has more gelatin and gives a silkier jus.

Substitutes

A jus lié is a jus lightly thickened with a little cornstarch or arrowroot, so it clings to the meat. For a richer sauce, add a spoon of demi-glace.

Common mistakes

• Thickening it with flour. Then it is gravy.
• Leaving the fat in, so it looks oily.
• Using salted stock and reducing it too far, which makes it too salty.

In recipes

"Serve au jus" means serve with jus. "Au jus" is French for "with juice", so "with au jus" repeats itself; you will still see it on menus. Recipes for French dip often make a quick jus from beef stock and the pan drippings.