The 7 Best Substitutes for Au Jus Mix

Au Jus mix is one of the primary ingredients in meat dishes such as roast lamb or beef and chicken or turkey dishes. In this article, I’ll provide you with 7 good substitutes and show you how to use them. I’ll also give you quick and easy recipes for making these substitutes at home.

1. Beef Broth

Beef broth is the easiest substitute to use in place of au jus mix, although it lacks a few ingredients to mimic the taste. You’ll also have to prepare the beef broth before you can use it as an au jus substitute. 

You can buy some at a grocery store if you don’t have time to prepare beef broth.

To make beef broth:

1. Add beef bones, onions, garlic, vegetables, and seasoning to a pot.
2. Cook it on medium for an hour in a pressure cooker, or 2-3 hours in a regular pot.
3. Once the broth is ready, drain out the other ingredients and use the liquid as a substitute for au jus.

The best thing about beef broth is that you can use seasoning according to your taste. You can also add parsley, peppercorns, cloves, and other herbs to bring out a balanced, flavored broth.

2. Beef Bouillon Cubes

Beef bouillon cubes are ideal for many red meat dishes, soups, and gravy and make a great substitute for au jus mix. Beef bouillon cubes are readily available in most stores, and you can add them directly to your dishes in place of au jus. 

It’s best to make a sauce from the cubes before using it as an au jus mix substitute.

Making a beef bouillon cube sauce is quite easy. Here’s how:

1. Boil some water, and add one cup to a jug.
2. Toss in the beef bouillon cube, and stir it around with a fork or whisk until it dissolves fully. It helps to break up the cube beforehand, as this makes the process faster. 
3. Add the beef bouillon sauce to your dish. 

Related How to Thicken Au Jus | The Best Way.

3. Brown Gravy

Brown gravy isn’t just a great substitute for au jus mix; it’s used in a range of recipes as well. Brown gravy is usually thicker than au jus, but the taste is very similar since both are made from meat juice. However, brown gravy is slightly easier to make and doesn’t take as long as au jus.

To make brown gravy:

1. Add meat juice or broth to a pan and mix it with some flour, while continuously stirring with a whisk. 
2. Let the mixture simmer until it’s golden brown and then add half a cup of milk to level out the texture.

While meat juice is usually the best option for making brown gravy, most people prefer to use beef broth due to its easy availability.

In this video, I show how to make awesome gravy:

4. Beef Stock Powder Sauce

Beef Stock Powder is another readily available ingredient that you can use as a substitute for au jus mix, especially if you’re in a hurry. It’s readily available in most grocery stores and used in many everyday dishes, so you’ll likely have some at home. You can buy seasoned beef stock powder, but you’ll have to add seasoning to give it an au jus mix taste.

To make beef stock powder sauce:

1. Add two tablespoons of the powder to a half cup of water and heat the mixture.
2. Add onion powder, dried parsley, garlic powder, and crushed black pepper, and stir them into the mixture.
3. Mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch in a separate bowl with 6 tablespoons of water to make a paste.
4. Add this paste to the stock powder mixture.

Avoid adding too much corn starch, as you’ll get a paste instead of a sauce.

5. Chicken Broth or Stock

Chicken broth doesn’t have the same taste as beef broth, but it can also be used as a substitute for au jus mix. The best thing about using chicken broth or chicken stock is that you don’t have to create a sauce and can use it directly as an au jus substitute. You can also get ready-made chicken broth or easily prepare it at home.

Here’s how to make homemade chicken broth:

1. Add chicken meat and water to a pot and boil it on medium heat.
2. Add fresh parsley, chopped onions, carrots, garlic, and pepper to the broth.
3. Let it simmer for around an hour, drain the liquid and use it in your dish.

Follow the same method to make chicken stock, but use chicken bones instead of chicken meat. Also, try using a pressure cooker when making stock, as it helps soften the bones better. While chicken broth is easy to make, many people prefer the taste of chicken stock, but it depends on your personal preferences.

6. Onion Soup Mix

If you don’t have time to prepare a broth or sauce, you can use onion soup as a substitute for au jus mix. Onion soup is readily available in sachets and doesn’t take long to prepare. You also don’t need to add extra ingredients to the mix since it already contains onions, garlic, parsley, and seasoning.

Simply follow the instructions on the mix packet and use the soup as a direct substitute for au jus mix. 

If you want to make your own onion mix soup, watch this video and make sure to add 2 tablespoons of beef bouillon for taste:

7. Demi-Glace

Demi-Glace is almost the same as au jus mix in terms of taste and ingredients. Many prefer au jus mix instead of demi-glace because it’s easier to prepare. If you have the time and aren’t afraid of a little experimentation, you may find demi-glace to be the perfect substitute for au jus mix.

To make demi-glace:

1. Place 5 cups of beef stock in a pot.
2. Add a half-cup of chopped celery, a quarter cup of chopped carrots, a half-cup of chopped onions, and a quarter cup of flour to the mix.
3. Add dried thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and a bay leaf in a cheesecloth and add to the mixture.
4. Boil it for 30 minutes and remove the vegetables.
5. Let the mixture simmer on a slow heat until the liquid is reduced by half. This could take more than 3 hours, so you’ll have to be patient.

Recap

The 7 best substitutes for au jus mix:

1. Beef broth
2. Beef bouillon cubes
3. Brown gravy
4. Beef stock powder sauce
5. Chicken broth or stock
6. Onion soup mix
7. Demi-glace

Thanks for stoppin’ by!

For more, don’t miss 8 Handy Substitutes for Cream of Mushroom Soup.