Red Wine Jus Sauce Recipe

Looking for an easy way to take your beef or lamb dish up a notch? Try this delicious red wine jus recipe!

This pan sauce is quick and easy to make and adds a ton of flavour to any meal. Best of all, it only requires a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.

So next time you have a juicy steak or roast meat, why not cook and serve it with this red wine sauce. Your taste buds will thank you!

Jump to:

• What is red wine jus?
• Equipment
• Ingredients for Red Wine Jus
• Pan juices for Red Wine Sauce
• Smooth Sauce or Chunky Sauce
• How to Thicken Red Wine Jus
• What to serve with Red Wine Jus
• 📖 Step by Step Recipe
• Storage
• More Sauce recipes
• 💬 Reviews

What is red wine jus?

Jus is a French term that refers to a thin yet concentrated sauce made from the juices of cooked meat.

It's usually made by deglazing the pan in which the meat was cooked and then reducing the resulting liquid until it reaches the desired consistency. Red wine jus is a pan sauce flavoured with red wine.

This delicious sauce is a great way to add extra flavour to your lamb or beef dishes. It's also perfect for dressing up a grilled steak, roast beef or roasted vegetables.

With minimum prep time and cooking time, it's so quick and easy to make that there's no excuse not to try this rich sauce.

Equipment

All the equipment you will need to make this red wine jus are as follows.

Large Frying Pan

It is best to use a large pan; the larger the surface area of your pan, the easier it will be to reduce the wine and create a nice thick sauce.

Sieve or Strainer

To make a smooth red wine jus, strain the onion/shallots from the sauce before serving.

Spatula or Wooden Spoon

You will need a spatula or wooden spoon to stir the sauce while reducing.

Ingredients for Red Wine Jus

The following are the ingredients you'll need to make this red wine sauce and potential alternatives.

Butter

Use butter for cooking shallots and giving the jus a rich, velvety texture. You could also use olive oil, although the sauce won't be as creamy.

We add more butter at the end to give the sauce an excellent gloss and thickness. Adding more butter is optional, but we think it takes the sauce to the next level.

Shallots

Shallots give delicious sweetness and depth to this jus recipe. If you don't have shallots on hand, you could substitute with onion.

Chop the shallots (or onion) finely and cook in a large frying pan over low heat until they're softened and turning golden in colour.

Garlic

Garlic adds a subtle yet unmistakable flavour to this sauce. If you're not a fan of garlic, feel free to leave it out.

Add garlic to the shallots for the last couple of minutes, do not allow it to burn.

Vinegar

Pan Sauces usually need acidity to help balance the flavours; you can use white or red wine vinegar, cider vinegar, or even lemon juice.

Red Wine

You can use any red wine you like for this recipe; make sure it's a wine you enjoy drinking, as the flavour will come through.

I usually go for a medium to full-bodied wine variety like Merlot, Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon.

I buy the small single-serve bottles of red wine, so there is no waste.

Add red wine in with the cooked shallots and bring to the boil. Lower to medium heat and allow the wine to simmer until it has reduced by half.

Herbs

I like to add sprigs of fresh herbs, thyme or rosemary to my red wine jus recipe, as they go so well with beef and lamb.

But you can add any herbs you like?

Beef Stock

We like to use the Knorr beef stock pots. They are richer and more flavoursome than regular beef stock cubes.

So handy to have on hand for recipes like this.

You could also use chicken stock or vegetable stock cubes for a milder flavour red wine jus.

Add stock to the reduced red wine and shallots.

Salt and Pepper

As with all recipes, I recommend seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Sugar

Just a touch of sugar helps offset the vinegar's acidity and round out the flavours.

Always taste the sauce before using it, as the natural sweetness from the shallots may be enough for your taste.

You could also use honey if you prefer.

That is all you 'need' to make this red wine jus recipe. BUT if you want to take this pan sauce to the next level, add some pan juice from whatever you are cooking.

Pan juices for Red Wine Sauce

Anything that gives off juices can help produce a richer taste to a pan sauce like this red wine sauce.

Of course, beef, lamb and poultry, but fish, vegetables or mushrooms are also good options.

Add the cooked (and strained) sauce into the pan to pick up the flavours.

If you have no pan sauces, that is fine, too. Using a good quality beef stock will help make the great flavour.

Smooth Sauce or Chunky Sauce

The sauce texture is a personal preference. I like my red wine jus smooth, but if you want to keep the onions in for a chunky sauce, that's fine too.

To strain or not to strain, that is the question.

I use a mesh strainer to get a smooth sauce, but if you want to keep the onions, don't strain it; remember to remove the herb sprig.

You can add more fresh thyme after it has been cooked if desired.

How to Thicken Red Wine Jus

Red wine jus is meant to be a thin sauce; it should be thinner than gravy.

You can do a few things to thicken it up if you prefer.

The easiest way to thicken a red wine jus or sauce is using a thickening agent called cornflour (cornstarch).

Mix equal parts cornflour with water to form a paste, add it into the sauce and bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat. Stir until the desired thickness is reached.

What to serve with Red Wine Jus

This red wine jus is perfect for serving with roast beef, slow-roasted lamb or poultry. Pour into a small gravy boat and serve piping hot.

As seen below, we have served with our cote de boeuf steak.

It's also lovely served with oven-baked fish. Or even potatoes and roasted vegetables.

📖 Step by Step Recipe

Storage

Leftover red wine jus can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days. 

Reheat leftover jus gently in a pan over medium-high heat.

Freezing

To freeze, transfer the cooled sauce to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. 

Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

More Sauce recipes

If you like a good sauce with your dinner, check out some of our other recipes.

I hope you enjoy this red wine sauce as much as we do. Let me know what you think or if you have any questions in the comments.

Happy Cooking!