A slice of beef with sauce or gravy is decadently delicious. A creamy or meaty sauce enhances the flavor and wetness of the food and “completes” it somehow.
Numerous meat recipes call for the au jus gravy mix or sauce. You may have observed that specific components are challenging to locate in stores. Occasionally, even the online stock is depleted.
What Exactly Is Au Jus?
Au jus, which translates as “with juice,” is a rich, creamy soup that enhances the flavor of roast beef, chicken, prime rib, and turkey dishes. Additionally, you may use it as a sauce for a variety of meals. The au jus elevates every dish to a new level with its combination of herbs and spices.
On the other hand, au jus is not as simple to create as beef stock. That is because it is not simply a soup; it also contains the beef liquid collected during the boiling process.
Because not everybody has the amenity of time to prepare au jus, it is vital to be familiar with the best substitutes. If you’re unable to prepare au jus on the spot, beef broth, beef stock powder gravy, bouillon cubes mix, brown gravy, demi-glace, onion mixture soup, and chicken broth are excellent substitutes.
In the United States, au jus is frequently made using soy or Worcestershire sauce, stock, and flour to thicken. It is produced separately from the beef after it has been cooked, at times with the pan scrapings, and is not a natural byproduct of the cooking process.
This is then served as a gravy; however, others call it au jus.
In the United States, au jus is offered as a powder. It is mainly composed of salt, a small amount of onion, sugar, and garlic powder. After cooking, this is brushed onto the beef or added to the jus. It is also available as a ready-to-use solution in sealed packages.
Best Au Jus Gravy Mix Alternatives
Today, many people lack the time required for the lengthy, slow roasting processes that are frequently required to produce a lovely jus. Since people are busy, they often select faster-cooking pieces of beef that do not release enough moisture to produce a jus.
However, the majority still want some sauce or gravy with the meat, which explains the proliferation of au jus mixtures on the market.
TRIVIA
Another reason to make your own au jus mixture is that store-bought versions are frequently overly salty. Additionally, many of them contain preservatives, artificial colors, and flavors.
Specific popular meat preparations, such as the Mississippi roast and Sunday beef roast, require the au jus mixture. It is aggravating to begin preparation only to discover that you are out of the essential jus mix.
By creating a homemade au jus mixture, you get enough convenience of store-bought without the added sugar and salt. You can use natural spices and herbs without sacrificing their delectable flavors.
Beef Stock Powder Sauce
This alternative is perhaps the most prevalent replacement for au jus sauce. Although the powder includes a negligible amount of beef ingredients, it will taste identical to au jus if cooked properly.
This substitution is ideal for any cuisine that calls for au jus, including steak, prime rib, Mississippi pot roast, baked foods, stir-fries, barbecue meals, and vegetable dishes.
You need the ingredients below to make beef stock powder sauce.
- Beef stock powder
- Garlic powder
- Dried parsley
- Onion powder
- Black pepper
- Corn starch
The measurements vary according to the size of the dinner you’re making. For instance, four teaspoons of onion powder and beef broth powder, two tablespoons of dry Parsley, three tablespoons of corn starch, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder might be used.
Combine all of them in a bowl, then transfer around four tablespoons to a pan and put water. Serve with your meal after heating until the sauce is thick.
Beef Bouillon Cubes Sauce
Beef bouillon cubes are simple to create and are already seasoned with herbs and seasonings that increase their overall flavor, making them a perfect substitute for beef au jus. These cubes are flavored with onion powder, beef extract, caramel syrup, parsley, carrots, potato starch, and celery seeds.
The umami flavor imparted by bouillon is an excellent complement to soups, stews, quick pot meals, and rib roasts. If you have beef consomme on hand, you may also substitute it as it will impart the same characteristics.
Beef Broth
The most closely related preparation to beef au jus is beef broth. Even those stated previously are made using beef broth. As with au jus, though, creating beef broth requires time and needs only a few ingredients.
If you want to cut down on cooking time, a pressure cooker is preferable to a slow cooker.
You need the ingredients below to make the beef broth powder sauce.
- Meaty beef bones
- Pepper
- Salt
- Onions
- Celery
- Carrot
- Dried herbs
- Garlic cloves
- Water
Brown the meaty beef bones and season with salt and pepper. You can prepare it in a pressure cooker. Prepare the carrot, onion, and celery by chopping them. Include it in the mix. After that, add water and cook for around 50 minutes. After it has boiled, strain the liquid and discard the remaining components. Your broth is now ready for serving.
Beef bones are high in vitamins and nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. In addition, boiling connective tissue into beef broth offers the body natural cartilage components. Collagen can also be found in tissues and bones. Cooking collagen converts it to gelatin, which delivers amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, to the body.
Brown Gravy
When using brown gravy, extreme caution is needed because perfection is required for an au jus alternative. Brown gravy has a strong potential to produce lumps, which is detrimental to the quality of your meal.
You need the ingredients below to make the brown gravy sauce.
- Beef stock or broth
- Salt
- Butter
- Worcestershire sauce
- Flour
- Bouillon cube
- Heavy cream
- Pepper
Combine the flour and lard to form a thick paste. Then, over low heat, simmer the paste to intensify its flavor. The mixture is a necessary component of your gravy. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour mixture. Cook for 1 minute. Stir the beef broth constantly to avoid lumps. Stir in another cup of broth.
At this point, the solution should have thickened and thinned. Pepper, bouillon, meat, and Worcestershire sauce should all be added. Serve with a drizzle of heavy cream as a finishing touch.
Brown Gravy Mix
An ounce pack of brown gravy mix may also be used in place of the au jus gravy mix. Due to the change in salt level and seasoning, there may be subtle flavor variances between brown gravy and au jus sauce.
Unlike beef au jus gravy mix, which is light and thin, brown gravy mix contains flour as a thickener.
Onion Soup Mix
Another simple-to-prepare au jus replacement is the onion soup mix. As implied by the name, the primary ingredient in this replacement is onion. However, because most packaged onion mixture soups include beef extracts, they are a viable substitute.
The caramelization of the onion imparts a deep flavor to the soup, which complements any food you prepare.
You need the ingredients below to make the onion soup mix.
- Onion flakes
- Beef bullion
- Onion powder
- Dried Parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Celery seed
- Paprika
In a saucepan, combine these ingredients according to your preference and add a splash of water. Allow to cook for around 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste. When finished, serve alongside your meat meal. It is delicious.
Chicken Broth
If you do not have beef broth or like prefer chicken broth over beef broth, you may substitute chicken broth for beef broth.
Compared to beef broth, chicken broth takes less time to prepare. Additionally, you can use professionally produced chicken broth or chicken stock.
Demi-Glace
Demi-glace is a classic French component. This rich brown sauce is made by decreasing the broth until it is thick and aromatic. It is an excellent substitute for au jus sauce.
While the French version is made with veal, you may prepare it using beef, chicken, or veggie stock.
Although demi-glace is flavorful and like au jus in many ways, its primary disadvantage is the duration of preparation time. While au jus mix can be used instantly, demi-glace requires 8-16 hours to decrease.
Vegetable stock
If you’re looking for a meatless flavor and a vegetable-based liquid to substitute for au jus, vegetable stock is for you. Although the stock is a different type of liquid prepared by simmering various types of vegetables, it can be used in place of broth in cooking.
Combine celery, onions, leek, mushrooms, carrots, and some bay leaves, thyme, or stalks of parsley. Additional herbs and seasonings may be added. While the flavor may be slightly different from au jus, it is a suitable substitute for many dishes.
A Dish that Calls for Au Jus Sauce
Prime rib au jus is a light, brothy, and savory sauce that pairs perfectly with soft, succulent beef. The au jus accentuates the buttery texture of the prime rib, while bringing out the meat taste.
Au jus brings out the beef taste and enhances the prime rib’s buttery texture.
Both recipes include directions for making au jus with and without beef drippings. Many individuals choose to collect and reuse beef drippings.
This Prime Rib Au Jus Recipe requires only a few simple ingredients. It’s delectable and straightforward to prepare.
- Prepare the roux: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, make a roux with beef drippings and flour.
- Add liquid and spices: Gradually add beef broth to the pan, whisking to incorporate. Season with soy sauce and freshly ground pepper. If necessary, use a beef broth substitute.
- Reduce to a simmer for 4 minutes. Season to taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
Jus Gravy Mix Substitute Related FAQs
What can you use as a thickener?
Flour can be used as a thickening agent. Wheat flour will also assist you in avoiding the gluten found in regular white flour. Allow the sauce to cook for a few minutes to eliminate the flour flavor.
What’s the difference between a jus and a sauce?
Jus is derived from the same juices that have been processed and condensed to produce a transparent, naturally thickened fluid.
The sauce could be prepared using the same liquids but with other ingredients such as wines or spirits added to complement the dish. Gravy can be served both hot and cold.
