Last updated on August 21st, 2021

*This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclaimer here. While we may use affiliate links, we would never allow this to influence product listings or recommendations.

Looking for something to spruce up a juicy steak or a roasted lamb dinner? Look no further. This red wine jus is the perfect rich and glossy sauce to make your home creations truly restaurant-worthy.

What is a jus?

A jus is a French sauce, typically called ‘Au Jus’ in France which translates to ‘with juice’. It is made from cooking liquids that are left from roasting meat along with stock, wine and other flavourings.

Not planning on roasting a joint? No problem. To make this jus into something that can be served at any time this recipe doesn’t require any cooking juices. Perfect if you are planning on making it with a seared steak or something you already have ready.

Can you make it in advance?

You can make this jus up to 3 days in advance. Store in the fridge in a sealed container and heat on the hob/stove before serving.

Even better – you can freeze this sauce. Pour into a sealed airtight container or even into a lidded ice cube tray so you can remove whatever portions you want at a time.

What does it go with?

This jus is best served with red meat. Try serving it drizzled over a juicy steak, or pop it in a gravy boat on the dinner table with slow-roasted lamb. I wouldn’t be opposed to serving this with Christmas dinner either – given that it is a little bit special.

You can also make this vegetarian by switching the beef stock for vegetable stock and omitting the bacon. Serve it with some roasted root veg. Parsnips, carrots or roasted onions are all great options!

Whatever you serve this with, a side of potatoes is a must to soak up some of the rich juices left on the plate. Some great options are these garlic & leek mashed potatoes, individual dauphinoise potatoes or these super crispy lemon & thyme roast potatoes.

How can I thicken it?

Before you thicken your jus determine if you are expecting the correct consistency. It shouldn’t be as thick as gravy and you should be looking for a slightly syrupy sauce that very lightly clings to a spoon.

If you feel your jus does need thickening then most likely you haven’t reduced the sauce enough. Therefore keep it bubbling for a little longer until you have the desired consistency. In a pinch, you can also use cornflour/cornstarch. Use a teaspoon at a time, mixed in double the amount of water first, until you get to the preferred texture. Note that using cornflour/cornstarch might affect the flavour a little.

What wine is best to use?

While you can use any wine it is best to choose one of decent quality as the flavour of the sauce is largely dependent on the flavour of the wine.

Ideally opt for a full-bodied wine such as cabernet sauvignon, shiraz or Malbec, which will add more richness to the finished sauce.

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients and measurements jump to the printable recipe.

You need only a few simple ingredients for this red wine jus, including:

• Full-bodied red wine
• Onions – brown or white, or you can also use shallots instead
• Streaky bacon
• Rosemary – can be substituted for 1/2 tsp of dried rosemary per portion or thyme
• Beef stock – homemade tastes best but stock cubes work fine

How to make it

For more detailed instructions jump to the printable recipe card.

1. Cook the bacon in a saucepan until it is starting to turn crisp.
2. Add the onion and cook until softened. Then add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
3. Pour in the wine and stock and cook until the sauce has been reduced by half. This may take anything from 20 minutes to an hour depending on how many portions you are making and how much surface area your pan has.
4. (optional) Stir butter through the sauce.
5. Strain the jus and serve.

Products that work well for this recipe:

Souper Cubes – freeze soups or sauces easily!

– Freeze food in perfect portions – Great for bone broth servings, recipes, meal prep, and portion-controlled meals – Compartments have four fill lines: ½ cup, 1 cup, 125 mL, 250 mL – Each tray makes four 1 cup or 250 mL cubes – Clear tight-fitting lid keeps food fresh, prevents freezer odor, facilitates easy stacking

Buy Now

3 Pack Professional Fine Mesh Strainer

Super Fine Mesh Strainers with Strengthened Handle

Buy Now

Set of 2 Small Sauce Boats / Jugs

– 90ml / 5oz size – perfect for serving one or two or for serving different types of sauces, dressings or gravy. – Made from durable white ceramic material.

Buy Now

Red Wine Jus

---

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: caroline
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 2 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

A rich and silkly red wine jus, perfect for pairing with red meat. Elevate your meal to something restaurant-worthy! 

The default recipe serves 2

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 rasher streaky bacon
• 1/2 medium brown onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 250ml / 1 cup full-bodied red wine (see note 1)
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary (see note 2)
• 60ml / 1/4 cup beef stock (see note 3)
• (optional) 1 tbsp unsalted butter – not necessary but will add an extra richness and silkiness to the sauce

---

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until it’s starting to crisp. 
2. Add the onion and cook for a further 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute
3. Add the wine, stock and rosemary to the pan and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. It should be slightly syrupy in consistency, but not as thick as gravy. Depending on how many portions you are making, and the surface area of your pan, it may take anything from 20 minutes to one hour. 
4. If you want to use the optional butter then stir it in at the end. 
5. Strain the jus through a fine-mesh sieve and serve drizzled over beef or lamb
6. Want to make this vegetarian? Omit the bacon and use more onion. Switch the beef stock for vegetable stock. 

Notes

1. Examples of wine you can use are cabernet sauvignon, malbec or shiraz. Choosing a full-bodied wine will give a richer jus
2. While fresh rosemary works best you can also 1 tsp of dried rosemary instead
3. You can use stock cubes for this recipe, but homemade stock will taste better. If you use homemade stock then skim off any fat that rises throughout the simmering process. 

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Sauce
• Method: Hob / Stove
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 200
• Fat: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 5g
• Protein: 3.5g

Keywords: sauce, jus, wine, side