Jus for Sauces

About the dish

The basic recipe for the brown jus that Erken uses as a base in many of the chapter's brown sauces. The chapter opens with advice on the sauce pot (narrow and tall with a thick bottom), long simmering, and keeping warm in a water bath under a tight-fitting lid.

How to make it

1. 1

   Cut up

   Cut the meat, pork, and onion into small cubes.

2. 2

   Brown

   Brown the cubes in the butter, stirring constantly, until they take on a nice, dark-brown color. Transfer everything to a pot.

3. 3

   Rinse the pan

   Rinse the frying pan with boiling water and pour this over the meat. Add enough cold water to cover the meat.

4. 4

   Bring to a boil

   Add the salt and peppercorns, bring to a boil, and skim well.

5. 5

   Simmer

   Let the jus simmer under a tight-fitting lid for 4–5 hours.

6. 6

   Strain

   Pour the jus through a strainer into a dish, and strain it again immediately through a cloth wrung out in cold water. Reduce it further if desired.

7. 7

   Storage

   Cook the jus the day before use so the fat sets, and remove the cake of fat before use. If not all is used, boil the rest up again with the fat; with the fat layer undisturbed the jus keeps for several weeks. The bones and meat can be cooked on further in the stockpot.