Description

Au jus, the French word meaning "with juice," is a simple but sophisticated sauce that's thinner than gravy and concentrated in flavor. It's made from the juice of cooked meat, aromatic vegetables, and beef stock and is ideal for roasted meats and roast beef dishes like prime rib.

Directions

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Remove the roast from the pan and let it rest on a large platter tented with foil. If there is a lot of fat left in the pan, pour most of it off—you can save it refrigerated in a Mason jar to add concentrated flavor and richness to soups, stocks, chilis, and even pasta. When pouring out the fat, take care not to lose any of the meat juices.
3. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop across two burners. Add 2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped, 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped, and 2 medium stalks celery, coarsely chopped.
4. Cook on high heat, stirring everything around with a wooden spoon until the veggies begin to brown, and most of the liquid has cooked off, about 1 minute—don't let anything burn.
5. Pour half the 3 cups beef stock into the pan and cook over high heat, scraping all those toasty bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, about 1 minute.
6. Pour the contents of the roasting pan into a large saucepan with the remaining 1 1/2 cups beef stock. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by 1/3, about 20 minutes.
7. Pour the liquid through a medium-mesh strainer. For a smoother sauce, you can line the strainer with cheesecloth. Let it sit for a couple of minutes so that you can skim off any fat that rises to the top.
8. By now, your roast will have finished resting and will be ready to carve. Transfer the roast to a cutting board. Stir any additional juices from the platter into the sauce. Slice the roast and return it to the platter.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste to the au jus.
10. Serve the sauce with the meat and enjoy.