Red Wine Jus

Red wine jus is a French-style sauce made from reduced red wine, beef stock and herbs and finished with butter to achieve a silky, glistening consistency. It is excellent with red meats like beef or lamb. The recipe is simple, but patience is key in order to achieve the perfect reduction. I like to serve this with Beef Wellington or steak.

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup dry red wine

2 cups low sodium beef stock (or 16 oz hot water + 2 tsp beef base)

1 tbsp unsalted butter

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp flour

1 sprig fresh thyme

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tbsp flour + 1 tbsp unsalted butter (beurre manie*)

Pan drippings from meat, if available

1. Melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a large saute or sauce pan over medium low heat. Add the chopped shallots and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes until translucent. Sprinkle 1 tsp flour over the mixture and stir 5-10 seconds to cook out the raw taste.

2. Add the red wine; stir with a wooden spoon occasionally for 8-10 minutes or until reduced by half. 

3. Add the beef stock, 1 sprig of fresh thyme and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced by half. 

4. Mash 1 tbsp flour and 1 tbsp. unsalted butter together with a fork in a small bowl until combined. This is the *beurre manie (equal parts butter and flour used to thicken sauces or soups) and set aside.

5. Strain the sauce mixture through a sieve to remove the aromatics. You should have about 1 3/4 to 2 cups of sauce left.

6. Return the strained sauce to the pan and bring up to a simmer over medium heat; whisk in the beurre manie, stirring constantly until the mixture has started to thicken and develops a glossy sheen. If the sauce is still not thick enough to your liking, you can add a cornstarch slurry (1tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water) - whisk into the simmering sauce and cook until thickened. 

7. If you have any pan drippings from roasting or browning your meat, you can add to the sauce at this time to enhance the flavor. 

The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated (up to 3 days) and gently reheated before serving. You can also freeze the sauce in airtight containers up to 3 months. 

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large sauce pan

Saute the shallots and garlic until translucent; sprinkle in 1 tsp flour and toss for 5-10 seconds to cook out the raw taste

Add the red wine and simmer 5-10 minutes or until reduced by half

Add the beef stock

Add a sprig of thyme and black pepper

Make the beurre manie (1 tbsp flour + 1 tbsp. unsalted butter) and set aside

Simmer over low heat 20-25 minutes until sauce is reduced by half. 

Strain the solids from the sauce

You should have 1 3/4 to 2 cups of sauce left

Y

Return the strained sauce to the pan and bring up to a gentle boil over medium heat.

Whisk in the beurre manie and stir continuously until slightly thickened and glossy. 

If the sauce is still not as thick as you like, add a cornstarch slurry.

If you have any meat drippings, you can add this to the finished sauce.