This rich and flavor packed red wine jus is the secret sauce you must try! A chef's favorite, this simple gravy goes everything from holiday turkey to Saturday night steak. Can be made ahead in minutes, with or without pan drippings. Plus it's gluten free, can be adapted to be vegetarian and freezes like a dream.
In a few simple steps I'll show you how easy it is to make red wine jus from scratch in just 15 minutes.
Once you master this easy red wine sauce you can serve it with whatever you like - from Thanksgiving turkey, to date night steak, or roast lamb for Sunday lunch.
With only 6 basic ingredients and a little seasoning, this will become a dinner favorite in no time.
You can also portion it up and keep in the freezer so you don't have to make gravy from scratch every time you want some.
This delicious sauce also happens to be naturally gluten free, since it is thickened by reducing the liquid down not by using flour or a thickening agent. Just ensure you use a gluten free broth.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Red Wine Jus
- Red Wine Jus Ingredients
- How to Make Red Wine Jus - Step-By-Step
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Variations & Substitutions for Red Wine Jus
- Tips & Tricks For Making Red Wine Sauce
- Pin This Red Wine Jus Recipe For Later
- What Do You Think?!
- More Easy Recipe Ideas
- Printable Recipe
- Red Wine Jus (Make Ahead, Gluten Free)
- Reader Comments & Ratings
Why You'll Love This Red Wine Jus
- A good quality sauce transforms any main dish, and it can be prepared and cooked in just 15 minutes.
- This recipe serves 4, but can be easily doubled or trebled depending on numbers.
- A great make ahead sauce for the festive holiday, make it a month before and freeze it till you need it.
- Use gluten free broth and this is a great gluten free sauce and alternative to a regular gravy.
- This is a great sauce to serve alongside roasted meat, try it with my
Red Wine Jus Ingredients
Find the full list and quantities in the recipe below.
Shallots - I like to use shallots for making this jus as they have a lovely sweet flavor. A good substitute would be a red onion which has a milder flavor, however a small regular onion would do at a push.
Red Wine - I would recommend using a full bodied red wine, which will impart lots of flavor into the jus.
Broth - Use the broth which goes with the meal you are eating. For example to make a red wine jus for beef use a beef broth, or chicken broth with chicken. Saying this, as a general rule, you can use chicken stock with any meat dish and vegetable stock for any meat or veggie/vegan dish. Fresh good quality broth is always best but you can use stock cubes or bouillon powder in a pinch.
I also recommend adding any pan drippings to the jus before you serve it. Pan drippings are a great way of packing real flavor into any jus or gravy. See the FAQs section of this post for more details.
Butter - Unsalted butter is stirred through the jus just before serving. I use unsalted, that way I can season the jus with sea salt. Don't skip this step, its the butter that emulsifies the sauce and gives it that glossy sheen.
How to Make Red Wine Jus - Step-By-Step
Find the full printable recipe below.
Sauté finely diced shallots over a medium-low heat with a little sea salt in olive oil or pan drippings until just starting to color.
Add red wine and rosemary sprig, bring to a simmer and allow to reduce by half, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Make sure you scape up any delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the broth and allow the jus to simmer and reduce by roughly half again.
Strain the sauce through a strainer (or sieve) into a clean pan to ensure it's smooth (if you don't mind the bits of shallots and herbs you can skip this bit!)
Place the pan back over a low heat and finish sauce by whisking in the knob of butter. Check the seasoning, adjust if needed serve piping hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between red wine jus and gravy?
The difference between a jus (pronounced zhoo) and a traditional gravy comes down to how you thicken it. A jus is reduced until it reaches the desired consistency, whereas a gravy usually is thickened with flour or another thickening agent. Also, a jus tends to be a lighter sauce overall.
What can you serve red wine reduction sauce with?
This is the best bit as once you know how to make this beautiful sauce it goes with everything from red meat to lamb and poultry or vegetarian mains. The shallots, red wine and butter build unbeatable flavor, but the flavor of broth you use is what makes the difference.
So adapt the base broth depending on what you are serving it with. For a red wine jus for lamb, use a lamb stock; for a red wine jus for turkey use a turkey stock or chicken stock.
For veggie diners use a good vegetable or mushroom stock.
It's the ideal make ahead accompaniment to Christmas Dinner or your Thanksgiving spread.
This classic french sauce also goes so well with a roast beef french dip sandwich.
What is the best wine to use?
It is important that you use a good quality wine - they kind of red wine you would actually drink yourself makes the best sauce. There is no point in using a poor type of wine as it will affect the flavor of the finished red wine sauce.
I would recommend full-bodied dry red wines, they are great for packing a real flavor punch. I used a cabernet sauvignon.
What are pan drippings and can you make red wine au jus with them?
Pan drippings are the fat and juices that are left in the bottom of a pan after meat has been cooked.
Skim off most of the fat, and you are left with the meat juices. These are great for adding extra intense meaty flavor into sauces and gravies. I always recommend adding pan drippings to this red wine jus if you have any.
Can you make this Easy Red Wine Jus ahead of time?
Yes, one of the main advantages of a jus is that it's an easy make ahead sauce. You can make it the day before and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Or make it weeks or even a month beforehand, then store it in the freezer until you need it.
Variations & Substitutions for Red Wine Jus
You could add some minced garlic to the jus, after you've cooked the shallot and before you add the red wine.
I've used sprigs of rosemary to flavor the jus, but you could also use bay leaf, sprigs of thyme or parsley.
You could also add some balsamic vinegar or even a splash of red wine vinegar for a more tangy flavor. The acidity will cut through rich meat dishes.
Swap the red wine for white wine and make a white wine jus which works really well with chicken.
Tips & Tricks For Making Red Wine Sauce
Always use a good quality red wine when making a jus, it will make all the difference to the finished sauce.
Don't walk away from stove when you are reducing the liquid, keep an eye on the jus so that it reaches the desired consistency and does not over reduce and become syrupy.
Only season the jus once it has reduced. If you season the jus before you reduce it, you risk the sauce being too salty.
Heat the gravy boat with boiling water, then discard the water and add the jus. This will heat up the jug and help keep the sauce hot while you get on with serving everything else.
How To Reheat Jus?
Place the jus into a pan over a medium high heat on the stove top. Heat the sauce until piping hot then pour into a gravy jug, or similar, to serve.
How to Freeze Jus?
Once cooked and cooled, the jus can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, defrost then heat up to piping hot.
Pin This Red Wine Jus Recipe For Later
What Do You Think?!
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More Easy Recipe Ideas
Printable Recipe
Red Wine Jus (Make Ahead, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil - or use pan drippings
- 1 large Shallot - finely diced
- 1 cup Red Wine
- 1 cup Broth - see notes
- 2 sprigs Rosemary
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- Sea Salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan or frying pan heat the olive oil (or drippings if you have them) over a medium heat.
- Sauté the finely diced shallot with a little sea salt until its soft and starting to color, around 5 minutes.
- Add the red wine and the rosemary sprigs.
- Let it simmer away until reduced by half, around 5 minutes. Stir occasionally,
- Add the broth and allow the jus to continue simmering over a medium heat until it has reduced by half again. This will take roughly a further 5 minutes, .
- Strain the mixture through a strainer (or sieve) into a clean pan to ensure it's smooth (if you don't mind the bits of shallots and herbs you can skip this bit!)
- Place the pan back over a low heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Check the seasoning, adjust if needed serve piping hot.
Grace says
This is a really easy recipe and has a great depth of flavor. I made this to go with our sunday roast, delicious.
Jo Keohane says
Thanks so much, so glad you liked it!!