russell swift
TVWBB Super Fan
Does anyone have a good au jus recipe for a prime rib??
Au jus recipe
- Thread starter russell swift
- Start date
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Jus is just beef stock poured into the degreased roasting pan, brought to a boil to deglaze the pan (scraping the stuck on bits as you go)--that's it. For best results use a good homemade beef stock. You can also deglaze with red wine and add the stock to that.
You can cheat this easily if you're cooking the roast outside and would rather not deal with a pan. If all you have is canned beef stock mix it 50-50 with canned low-sodium chicken stock, a sprig or two of fresh parsley, a smashed small garlic clove, a splash of red wine, a few black or white peppercorns, a tiny pinch each of marjoram and thyme, and a small piece of celery. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered, 20 min. Strain out the solids: reserve.
When your roast is done rest it. 5 min before you plan to carve return your stock to a simmer. Trim the end off the roast and include a bone if possible. Stick that in your pot of jus, bring it to a boil, cover it, the simmer strongly while you carve. Remove the hunk of meat and bone; serve.
A bit more involved: Get some good meaty beef bones (oxtails are good; if the bones are large chop them with a meat cleaver first), smear them with olive oil and a little tomato paste, put them in a pan with a 3-inch piece of carrot, a whole onion chopped large, a couple 3-inch pieces of celery, and a pinch of salt, and roast them in an oven inside (or on your kettle). Put a little water in the pan at the outset and add a little periodically so the the drippings don't burn. Roast at 350-375 for 90 min-2 hours, stirring quickly when you make a water addition, or every 15-20 min. Dump the contents of the pan into a pot, deglaze the pan with wine or water and add that to the pot along with a smashed garlic clove, a couple sprigs of fresh parsley, a few black peppercorns, a good pinch of thyme, a piece of bay leaf, and a little pinch of marjoram. Cover with water, bring to a boil then simmer 20 min. Strain out the solids, pressing a bit to extract juices. Degrease. [If you are using a roasting pan or drip pan for the roast pour off the grease in the pan, deglaze with wine or water, add this stock, bring to a simmer scraping up the stuck on bits.] Adjust salt; reheat; serve.
A different but common approach using a shorter roast time and longer pot time: Roast 3lbs of meaty bones alone in a pan in the upper third of a 450 oven, turning occasionally, till well browned, about 35-45 min.
Meanwhile, dice 1 onion, 1 celery rib and 1 carrot and saute them in a few T of oil in a large pot, stirring often, till the onion browns in spots, about 15 min. Stir in a T of tomato paste, move the pot off the burner; reserve.
When the bones are roasted put them into the pot with the vegs. Pour off the fat from the meat's pan and place over two burners over high heat. Deglaze the pan with water or wine, scaping the bottom well so that all the stuck on fond dissolves. Add this to the pot with the bones and vegs then pour in enough water to cover by 2 inches.
Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off the foam that rises to the top.
Add a few cloves of smashed garlic, several parsley sprigs, a thyme sprig (or a few t of dried thyme), a couple t of dried marjoram, a bay leaf, and a t or 2 of peppercorns. Reduce the heat to low and allow to cook at a bare simmer for at least a couple hours--but you can go longer, all day if you wish.
Strain the stock (do not press on the solids) and allow to sit 5-10 min for the fat to rise. Skim off the fat, cool, reserve in the fridge or freeze. (Alternatively, cool the stock after straining then fridge it. The fat will solidify on top when the stock is cooled. Remove the fat then return the stock to the fridge, or divide into containers for the freezer.
To make jus if you are using a roasting pan or collecting drippings below: Heat several cups of your homemade stock in a pot on the stove to a simmer about 10 min before you expect your roast to be done. Cover, keep warm over very low heat.
While the roast rests, pour off the fat (only!) from the pan (you can also pour the entire collected drippings into a fat separator then pour off the fat from it) then deglaze the pan with a little water or wine, or simply use a little hot stock from the pot on the stove. Mix the reserved de-fatted juices plus the deglazed pan contents into the pot on the stove, stir, adjust seasoning if necessary; serve with the carved roast.
You can cheat this easily if you're cooking the roast outside and would rather not deal with a pan. If all you have is canned beef stock mix it 50-50 with canned low-sodium chicken stock, a sprig or two of fresh parsley, a smashed small garlic clove, a splash of red wine, a few black or white peppercorns, a tiny pinch each of marjoram and thyme, and a small piece of celery. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered, 20 min. Strain out the solids: reserve.
When your roast is done rest it. 5 min before you plan to carve return your stock to a simmer. Trim the end off the roast and include a bone if possible. Stick that in your pot of jus, bring it to a boil, cover it, the simmer strongly while you carve. Remove the hunk of meat and bone; serve.
A bit more involved: Get some good meaty beef bones (oxtails are good; if the bones are large chop them with a meat cleaver first), smear them with olive oil and a little tomato paste, put them in a pan with a 3-inch piece of carrot, a whole onion chopped large, a couple 3-inch pieces of celery, and a pinch of salt, and roast them in an oven inside (or on your kettle). Put a little water in the pan at the outset and add a little periodically so the the drippings don't burn. Roast at 350-375 for 90 min-2 hours, stirring quickly when you make a water addition, or every 15-20 min. Dump the contents of the pan into a pot, deglaze the pan with wine or water and add that to the pot along with a smashed garlic clove, a couple sprigs of fresh parsley, a few black peppercorns, a good pinch of thyme, a piece of bay leaf, and a little pinch of marjoram. Cover with water, bring to a boil then simmer 20 min. Strain out the solids, pressing a bit to extract juices. Degrease. [If you are using a roasting pan or drip pan for the roast pour off the grease in the pan, deglaze with wine or water, add this stock, bring to a simmer scraping up the stuck on bits.] Adjust salt; reheat; serve.
A different but common approach using a shorter roast time and longer pot time: Roast 3lbs of meaty bones alone in a pan in the upper third of a 450 oven, turning occasionally, till well browned, about 35-45 min.
Meanwhile, dice 1 onion, 1 celery rib and 1 carrot and saute them in a few T of oil in a large pot, stirring often, till the onion browns in spots, about 15 min. Stir in a T of tomato paste, move the pot off the burner; reserve.
When the bones are roasted put them into the pot with the vegs. Pour off the fat from the meat's pan and place over two burners over high heat. Deglaze the pan with water or wine, scaping the bottom well so that all the stuck on fond dissolves. Add this to the pot with the bones and vegs then pour in enough water to cover by 2 inches.
Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off the foam that rises to the top.
Add a few cloves of smashed garlic, several parsley sprigs, a thyme sprig (or a few t of dried thyme), a couple t of dried marjoram, a bay leaf, and a t or 2 of peppercorns. Reduce the heat to low and allow to cook at a bare simmer for at least a couple hours--but you can go longer, all day if you wish.
Strain the stock (do not press on the solids) and allow to sit 5-10 min for the fat to rise. Skim off the fat, cool, reserve in the fridge or freeze. (Alternatively, cool the stock after straining then fridge it. The fat will solidify on top when the stock is cooled. Remove the fat then return the stock to the fridge, or divide into containers for the freezer.
To make jus if you are using a roasting pan or collecting drippings below: Heat several cups of your homemade stock in a pot on the stove to a simmer about 10 min before you expect your roast to be done. Cover, keep warm over very low heat.
While the roast rests, pour off the fat (only!) from the pan (you can also pour the entire collected drippings into a fat separator then pour off the fat from it) then deglaze the pan with a little water or wine, or simply use a little hot stock from the pot on the stove. Mix the reserved de-fatted juices plus the deglazed pan contents into the pot on the stove, stir, adjust seasoning if necessary; serve with the carved roast.
Moving to Sauces Forum.
Regards,
Chris
Regards,
Chris
Kevin, many thanks for your Jus recipe. My curiosity has gotten the better of me. Since most beef stocks I've seen simmer for a long time, I was wondering about your suggestion of only 20 minutes. What is the principle here? Is it perhaps for a lighter or fresher flavor or to achieve a certain balance of flavor with the other ingredients in the stock that you're aiming for? Or maybe for convenience?
Thanks,
Rita
Thanks,
Rita
Morgan Sziraki
TVWBB Pro
Good question Rita
I like to simmer my stocks for quite a long time.
I like to simmer my stocks for quite a long time.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Rita--
Most of the flavor is going to come from the caramelization that occurs to the meat and vegs as they roast. As they roast and release juices the water in these juices will evaporate and the solids (the fond) will stick to the pan. These solids can easily burn, hence the periodic water addition. You want just enough to keep the fond from burning but not so much that it prevents new fond from forming. (It's easier to gauge than it sounds.)
After roasting and deglazing a 20 min simmer is generally all that is necessary because you're not making a lot and because 20 min is enough to get residual juices and flavor out of the meat and vegs. It is usually enough for a bit of a reduction to occur and that's all you need. Strain out the solids (pressing on them a bit to extract juices), and taste. The jus can go back in the pot for further reduction if needed. This depends on how much fond you had in the pan, the type and size of the meaty beef bone(s) used, size of pot, liquid quantity at the outset, etc.
Many stocks are made totally in a pot with no roasting. This adds to their cook time. Further, most stocks are partially reduced while they're cooking especially when the plan is to make a demi or glace. This takes more time when making a large quantity.
You can do something similar if you wish. Double or triple the ingredients (might as well); after straining, return the stock to the pot and reduce till very concentrated and syrupy. Cool, freeze in an ice cube tray, then bag. The cubes can be reconstituted as-is with water, or can be added to boost a weak stock, added to canned low-sodium chicken stock to make jus, or used to add flavor to sauces.
Note: I am going to edit the recipe post for procedural clarity.
Most of the flavor is going to come from the caramelization that occurs to the meat and vegs as they roast. As they roast and release juices the water in these juices will evaporate and the solids (the fond) will stick to the pan. These solids can easily burn, hence the periodic water addition. You want just enough to keep the fond from burning but not so much that it prevents new fond from forming. (It's easier to gauge than it sounds.)
After roasting and deglazing a 20 min simmer is generally all that is necessary because you're not making a lot and because 20 min is enough to get residual juices and flavor out of the meat and vegs. It is usually enough for a bit of a reduction to occur and that's all you need. Strain out the solids (pressing on them a bit to extract juices), and taste. The jus can go back in the pot for further reduction if needed. This depends on how much fond you had in the pan, the type and size of the meaty beef bone(s) used, size of pot, liquid quantity at the outset, etc.
Many stocks are made totally in a pot with no roasting. This adds to their cook time. Further, most stocks are partially reduced while they're cooking especially when the plan is to make a demi or glace. This takes more time when making a large quantity.
You can do something similar if you wish. Double or triple the ingredients (might as well); after straining, return the stock to the pot and reduce till very concentrated and syrupy. Cool, freeze in an ice cube tray, then bag. The cubes can be reconstituted as-is with water, or can be added to boost a weak stock, added to canned low-sodium chicken stock to make jus, or used to add flavor to sauces.
Note: I am going to edit the recipe post for procedural clarity.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Morgan--
I find that if I'm roasting first a shorter time works fine (this, of course, means that the meaty bones I'm using are fairly small; if they're not I chop them first). If I'm making a brown stock totally in the pot then I still chop up my meat and bones first and brown them well but I find that I can cut cook time to 1.5-2 hours. (If you use large bones you're usually looking at 4-6 hours.) A mass of chopped bones, meat, and veg in a roasting pan might not produce the fond required if they're stacked a bit on top of each other. In that case I increase the roasting time a bit and increase the simmer time, usually an hour or two will do it.
I find that if I'm roasting first a shorter time works fine (this, of course, means that the meaty bones I'm using are fairly small; if they're not I chop them first). If I'm making a brown stock totally in the pot then I still chop up my meat and bones first and brown them well but I find that I can cut cook time to 1.5-2 hours. (If you use large bones you're usually looking at 4-6 hours.) A mass of chopped bones, meat, and veg in a roasting pan might not produce the fond required if they're stacked a bit on top of each other. In that case I increase the roasting time a bit and increase the simmer time, usually an hour or two will do it.
Kevin, that is just the information I was looking for and an excellent and detailed treatise on stock-making. Thank you VERY much!
I've always made my brown stocks with the large beef and veal bones as purchased. I doubt I could have cut them at home. It would probably be dangerous for the butcher to try cutting 6- or 8-inch bones down. So, I'll be looking for smaller bones in the future, but usually I'm lucky to get ANY bones locally.
Thanks again for all the great information!
Rita
I've always made my brown stocks with the large beef and veal bones as purchased. I doubt I could have cut them at home. It would probably be dangerous for the butcher to try cutting 6- or 8-inch bones down. So, I'll be looking for smaller bones in the future, but usually I'm lucky to get ANY bones locally.
Thanks again for all the great information!
Rita
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Rita--
Butchers do it all the time and you can too. A good meat cleaver is all you need. They will use a cleaver or, quicker, a their bandsaw. Definitely ask them to cut them for you--it's quick.
The big deal--to me--in brown stocks is using meat and not just bones. Oxtails, beef shanks--good bones with meat on them--make a big difference. I usually figure 3 lbs/qt of finished stock if I'm using all meaty bones (like tails and shanks), 4 lbs/qt if other bones are mixed in. Remove the meat from the bones in large chunks before roasting (or sauteeing if doing your stock in a pot) and roast/brown everything together.
Btw, when doing chicken stock chop the carcass up in small pieces as well. It cuts the cook time dramatically.
Butchers do it all the time and you can too. A good meat cleaver is all you need. They will use a cleaver or, quicker, a their bandsaw. Definitely ask them to cut them for you--it's quick.
The big deal--to me--in brown stocks is using meat and not just bones. Oxtails, beef shanks--good bones with meat on them--make a big difference. I usually figure 3 lbs/qt of finished stock if I'm using all meaty bones (like tails and shanks), 4 lbs/qt if other bones are mixed in. Remove the meat from the bones in large chunks before roasting (or sauteeing if doing your stock in a pot) and roast/brown everything together.
Btw, when doing chicken stock chop the carcass up in small pieces as well. It cuts the cook time dramatically.
Kevin, I do have a heavyweight cleaver that I use on chicken bones all the time. I use a rubber mallet on the cleaver for more force. I've been leery about trying to chop beef bones, though, thinking that I would have bone shards flying all over my kitchen.
That's good advice to remove the meat from the bones and makes sense, but I don't think I've ever heard an instructor say, or read in a book, to do that.
Thanks too for mentioning the ratio of bones to stock. That is extremely helpful.
Rita
That's good advice to remove the meat from the bones and makes sense, but I don't think I've ever heard an instructor say, or read in a book, to do that.
Thanks too for mentioning the ratio of bones to stock. That is extremely helpful.
Rita
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Rita--
Think of the cleaver as a hammer. Hold the handle at the end, securely, keep your wrist stiff, and chop--think of how you would hammer a nail into your cutting board if you were doing so--bending at the elbow and letting the weight at the end of cleaver lead the blow.
Beef bones, depending on type, can splinter but usually it's dry bones that might. If leery, have the butcher do it.
When removing the meat from the bones don't be a perfectionist, just do it roughly. Leave meat attached, don't scrape it off. Good things happen between bone and attached meat.
Think of the cleaver as a hammer. Hold the handle at the end, securely, keep your wrist stiff, and chop--think of how you would hammer a nail into your cutting board if you were doing so--bending at the elbow and letting the weight at the end of cleaver lead the blow.
Beef bones, depending on type, can splinter but usually it's dry bones that might. If leery, have the butcher do it.
When removing the meat from the bones don't be a perfectionist, just do it roughly. Leave meat attached, don't scrape it off. Good things happen between bone and attached meat.
Kevin, regarding the use of the cleaver as a hammer, I just don't have enough strength in my wrist to keep it stiff enough. I've done it that way, but don't feel as if I have enough control. I have "bad aim!" I can hit a nail on the head most of the time but can't seem to hit the same spot with a cleaver on the second swing, hence the mallet. I miss the waste paper basket if I'm any more than 2 feet away.
Michelle in New Orleans
TVWBB Fan
I was busy reading old threads today and came across this one with great info about beef stock from Kevin Kruger. The recipe below really follows the same track, as it uses a lot more meat to bone than say, chicken broth. I've been making this about 20 years now. It's not cheap to make but if you're making a reduction sauce or the best beef vegetable soup you've ever had in your life, it's worth it.
Rich Beef Broth
Makes about 2 quarts.
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
6 lbs. of shank, meat cut from bone in large chunks, OR 4 lbs. of chuck and 2 lbs. of small marrow bones (I usually combine a pound of beef shanks, about 3 lbs. of chuck and 2 lbs. of small marrow bones if I can find them)
1 large onion, halved
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large soup kettle or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; brown meat, bones and onion halves on all sides in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, and adding the additional 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil to the pan if necessary. Remove and set aside.
Add red wine to the empty kettle; cook until reduced to a syrup, 1 to 2 minutes. Return browned bones, meat and onion to kettle. Reduce heat to low, then cover and sweat meat and onions until they have released about 3/4 cup dark, very intensely flavored liquid, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, add 2 quarts water and salt; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to very low, partially cover (see Note below), and barely simmer until meat is tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Strain broth, discard bones and onions, and set meat aside, reserving half of the meat for another use if you're using this in Beef Vegetable Soup, all of it for another use if you're using the broth in the Christmas Sauce I make for the prime rib or beef tenderloin we always have at Christmas. At this point, broth and meat can be cooled to room temperature and covered and refrigerated up to 5 days. Let broth stand until fat rises to the top; skim and discard fat (very easy to do if you refrigerate it). When the unreserved meat is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces if you're using it for soup.
Makes about 2 delicious quarts.
Note: To partially cover, I lay two wooden kebab sticks over my pot in an X-shape and put the top right on top of the sticks. Works great,
Cooks Illustrated had a great article that accompanied this beef broth recipe. Basically it said that even though bones are important for a good broth, when making beef broth as opposed to chicken broth, you've got to have a disproportionate amount of beef to make really good beef broth. This recipe will convince you that the magazine was spot on!
Rich Beef Broth
Makes about 2 quarts.
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
6 lbs. of shank, meat cut from bone in large chunks, OR 4 lbs. of chuck and 2 lbs. of small marrow bones (I usually combine a pound of beef shanks, about 3 lbs. of chuck and 2 lbs. of small marrow bones if I can find them)
1 large onion, halved
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large soup kettle or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; brown meat, bones and onion halves on all sides in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, and adding the additional 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil to the pan if necessary. Remove and set aside.
Add red wine to the empty kettle; cook until reduced to a syrup, 1 to 2 minutes. Return browned bones, meat and onion to kettle. Reduce heat to low, then cover and sweat meat and onions until they have released about 3/4 cup dark, very intensely flavored liquid, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, add 2 quarts water and salt; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to very low, partially cover (see Note below), and barely simmer until meat is tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Strain broth, discard bones and onions, and set meat aside, reserving half of the meat for another use if you're using this in Beef Vegetable Soup, all of it for another use if you're using the broth in the Christmas Sauce I make for the prime rib or beef tenderloin we always have at Christmas. At this point, broth and meat can be cooled to room temperature and covered and refrigerated up to 5 days. Let broth stand until fat rises to the top; skim and discard fat (very easy to do if you refrigerate it). When the unreserved meat is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces if you're using it for soup.
Makes about 2 delicious quarts.
Note: To partially cover, I lay two wooden kebab sticks over my pot in an X-shape and put the top right on top of the sticks. Works great,
Cooks Illustrated had a great article that accompanied this beef broth recipe. Basically it said that even though bones are important for a good broth, when making beef broth as opposed to chicken broth, you've got to have a disproportionate amount of beef to make really good beef broth. This recipe will convince you that the magazine was spot on!
Michelle, thanks for posting this. It does sound delicious. I've been using Kevin's method to great success since he posted it. I'm one who can eat soup with relish (no, not that relish!) even in the summer.
Do you use a reduction of this recipe when making jus for roast prime (or otherwise) rib as well as for soups?
Rita
Do you use a reduction of this recipe when making jus for roast prime (or otherwise) rib as well as for soups?
Rita
Last edited:
JC Barnett
New member
If you have a Gordon Food Service store in your area they have a small jar of dried ingredients Beef Au Jus and it is excellent.
In the vein of short cuts, a professional chef buddy turned me on to "Better Than Bouillon" beef base. It's a jar of paste that is highly concentrated beef stock. Much better flavor than canned or boxed stock, worlds ahead of bouillon cubes, and you can control the intensity by using more or less. You can find it in most supermarkets right by the bouillon cubes.
That said, nothing matches a home brewed brown stock.
That said, nothing matches a home brewed brown stock.