In Search of an "Au Jus" Recipe

Dear ChefSteps: A Request --

I can make incredible stock. I've made some fantastic demi glace in my time. I've taken the jus from several kilos of SV short ribs and turned it into an amazing sauce that would make a person want to slap their own mother.

But one thing I simply cannot do is replicate the low quality, super-salty, thin "au jus" dipping sauce that you get with any French dip or Chicago beef sandwich at any mediocre restaurant. I'm not talking about real "beef jus"; I'm talking about real 'Merican "au jus" -- the industrialized agriculture "off-the-shelf" version. But better and real and made from scratch. How have Sysco and Swanson and Arby's figured it out, but I -- a Stock Master -- have not?

No matter how mush salt, MSG, or Worcestershire I throw at the problem, it's just not the same. I think the answer may be to start with that thin, overpriced, garbage "stock" you find on the shelf at the grocery and doctor it up... but that solution makes me sad. That's how Sandra Lee would do it. And Sandra Lee is an enemy of quality.

At any rate, I want to make some epic roasts this holiday season. And epic roasts means epic leftover roast beef. And epic leftover roast beef needs jus! What to do?!

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pd3ski_278514

Great post Brandon! Can't wait to see what develops here.

hairyotter_273859

I'm still trying to do the same thing. I love a great French dip. I've experimented with ChefSteps "Umami-Bomb Vegetarian Demi-Glace." If you want it thin leave out the thickeners and just use it as one of your ingredients in your au jus. Of course by the time I'm done with it there isn't anything vegetarian about it. I don't follow the recipe exactly just use the ingredient list and techniques loosely to get the flavor profile. Use it as my base for stocks or secret ingredient in lots of beef dishes, soups, au jus.

I make a bunch of the stuff and refrigerate or freeze. Good to have on hand and might give you that "extra" something you're looking for.

fisher23

Here are the ingredients for Sysco/McCormick au jus. It might be a starting place: Salt, Corn Starch, Dextrose, Hydrolyzed Corn, Soy Proteins, And Wheat Gluten, Beef Fat, Caramel Color, Onion, Corn Syrup Solids, Garlic, Spices (Including Black Pepper), Celery, Sodium Carboxymethycellulose (Thickener), Sodium Caseinate (A Milk Derivative), And Natural Flavor.

Maybe @Grant_Lee_Crilly_63791 @Nicholas_Gavin_68199 @Ben_Johnson_34605 have some ideas.

SlickWilly_403801

You lika da jus???

wolfiegirl

There's that 'natural flavors' mystery ingredient again. And thanks for posting this list because I'm heading to the grocery shortly and I forgot to add 'sodium carboxymethycellulose' to my list....phew...close call!

wolfiegirl

Sandra Lee....that's a riot alice.

Brandon_Byrd_40557

I LIKEA DA JUS!

Brandon_Byrd_40557

That stuff is pretty magical. I should follow you lead and make a big batch. I always do stocks in big batches, but haven't done that recipe that way... yet!

hairyotter_273859

It gels very nicely as you can see in the picture and freezes well too. It's a great way to clean out your vegetable drawer. My local food market normally does not carry celery root so I substitute plain old celery. Also I have trouble getting lots of volume. I always seem to end up with 1-1.5 cups (at most) no matter what I do. If I want more volume I have to make 2 batches. I have the same trouble making my pan sauces, I never get the volume I need. I guess practice practice...

wolfiegirl

Where you been hiding Slick!?!

SlickWilly_403801

I am a government contractor and have been tasked with a massive workload with a short time to get it done (unfortunately the usual scenario). Almost got it all done so I should be able get back to doing things I enjoy here pretty soon.

wolfiegirl

Giddyup! I miss your craziness!!!

wolfiegirl

@Brandon_Byrd_40557 I've been thinking about this whole subject of finding a solid au jus recipe. The closest I've ever come to making it in any usable quantity was when I made an Italian rubbed roast beef, seared and then oven roasted (this was pre-sous vide!), the pan drippings then receiving beef stock and a bit of sweet Marsala to deglaze. It was really good stuff. So creating a reasonable jus isn't that difficult until you don't have a nicely roasted bit of beef. Then what?

This morning I consulted a few of my cookbooks to see what I could find. First I went to Monsieur Escoffier's The Complete Guide to Modern Cookery; I also consulted Sokolov's The Saucier's Apprentice. (these were the only of several I checked that even had 'jus' listed!) There wasn't a beef jus 'recipe' but there was Jus de Veau made from veal. I was surprised when I read that it was made by reducing veal stock by 75%, strained and if desired, thickened with arrowroot. Sokolov's recipe adds a splash of Madeira before serving.

Now, maybe this isn't what you've been seeking, but it's what I was able to find. No 'mystery ingredient', or Sodium Carboxymethy-whatever. Just a good veal stock reduced finished with a splash of sweet wine. It's no stretch of the imagination that beef jus could be derived in the same manner using good, homemade beef stock.

Sounds good to me.

Brandon_Byrd_40557

That sounds like a great start. I may play around with different dilutions that using some of the store-bought "More Than Gourmet" beef glace that I keep on hand.

wolfiegirl

And of course I'm very interested in what you're able to create.

Jack_Mayer_85396

I like the More Than Gourmet products too!

adey73

You done anything more on this?

Brandon_Byrd_40557

I managed to cobble together a good batch for the Christmas roast, but I'm not going to be able to replicate it. I started using More Than Gorumet as a base, and did a quick infusion with shallot, garlic, thyme, and peppercorn. The alliums totally took over, and it was unpleasantly powerful. So I started another batch of base and used part of the shallot-infusion for flavoring and added fish sauce, Worcestershire, usukuchi soy sauce, and a dash of MSG. The Worcestershire totally took over that time (even though I didn't use very much) so I diluted it with a bunch of bag jus from 2kgs of short ribs. That finally produced the flavor I was going for -- or at least something in the ballpark. I reduced it a bit until the flavor levels were where I wanted them, seasoned, and served. It wasn't spot on, but it's the closest I've gotten to an upscale "au jus". I think the MTG glace de viande is a great starting point. I just need to dial in how much of everything else to add so I can repeat it. Luckily, I have about a quart leftover from Christmas, so I have a good batch on hand when the urge to make French dips hits.