Baltimore Style Sour Beef And Dumplings Sauerbraten Food

BALTIMORE-STYLE SOUR BEEF AND DUMPLINGS (SAUERBRATEN)

Steps:

• WARNING: This part has to be done the day before you want to serve. Stir together all of the marinade ingredients in a nonreactive bowl. Place the roast in a nonreactive container (or large ziplock bag) and marinate overnight. The day before is also a good time to make the gingersnaps if, like me, you are using homemade.
• The next day: Remove the meat and pour the marinade in the slow cooker. In a large skillet, quickly brown all sides of the meat in the canola oil. Add the meat into the slow cooker and turn on low for 6 hours.
• During the last hour or so of cooking time: Start to make the dumplings. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. In a large bowl, combine the cooled mashed potatoes and salt and the egg. Stir in the baking powder and add the flour in 1/2 cup increments until the it resembles a dough and the mixture holds its shape when molded (roughly 3 cups). Form into 2 to 4 inch balls. They should be able to hold their shape but not be too floury. Drop them into the water. They should sink, then rise to the surface when cooked through. Set aside.
• During the last 1/2 hour of cooking time: Skim off any visible fat that may have risen to the top then add the gingersnaps and turn the heat to high.
• After the time is up, shred the meat a bit with a fork or break it into pieces. Serve hot, with dumplings on the side.

SAUERBRATEN WITH POTATO DUMPLINGS AND APPLESAUCE

Steps:

• Wipe steak with damp cloth; season with salt and pepper.
• Place in earthenware, glass or enamel bowl.
• Combine onions, carrot, celery, cloves, peppercorns, vinegar and bay leaves and pour over meat.
• Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 4 days.
• Boil the potatoes for the dumplings on the night of the 4 day. Leave them in their jackets and let stand for a few hours to overnight.
• On fifth day remove meat from refrigerator and drain, reserving marinade.
• Sauté meat in bacon drippings plus 1 tablespoon butter until seared on all sides.
• Cover with reserved marinade and bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 3 hours.
• Melt remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a pan and stir in flour to form a roux.
• Blend in sugar and brown to a nice dark color.
• Stir roux into liquid in the pot and add raisins (optional).
• Cover and continue to simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour longer.
• DUMPLINGS:.
• Peel the potatoes and mash them. Add the eggs and flour.
• Form the mixture into little balls and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour before cooking.
• Bring lightly salted water to just under boiling point.
• To make sure your mixture has the right consistency, cook a single dumpling first. If it does not hold together, add more flour to the mixture.
• Gently drop in a few dumplings, being careful not to overcrowd them.
• When the dumplings are cooked, they will rise to the top.
• Remove the meat to a warm serving platter.
• Stir crushed gingersnaps or starch into the pot juices and cook until thickened.
• Pour over the meat and serve with the dumplings and applesauce.
• Provide melted, browned butter and bread crumbs for the dumplings.
• Red cabbage makes another good accompaniment. A good one is Sweet and Sour and the brand that comes to mind is "Aunt Nellie's". It would probably be the easiest to find in the US. I always get mine at our local Walmart Supercenter.

SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Place roast into a large pan; pour buttermilk over roast to completely cover it.
• Add onion, bay leafs, and whole allspice to buttermilk.
• Cover marinating bowl with cheesecloth and let stand at room temperature for 18 to 24 hours, then place in refrigerator to marinate for an additional 3 to 4 days, turning the roast occasionally.
• Remove roast from marinate, discard marinade, wash, and pat dry.
• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Heat beef stock.
• In large heavy Dutch oven heat oil on high and brown roast on all sides.
• Add hot beef stock to browned roast and place in oven.
• Bake for@ 2 1/2 hours.
• Turn of oven.
• Remove Dutch oven from oven, remove roast from Dutch oven, put roast on platter and return to warm oven, Place Dutch on high heat, mix water and cornstarch together and stir enough mixture into boiling drippings to achieve sauce consistency to your liking.
• Remove Dutch oven from heat, remove roast from warm oven.
• Stir sour cream into sauce.
• Slice roast and ladle some sauce over roast.
• Serve with Half and Half potato dumplings and sweet and sour red cabbage.

SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Bring vinegar, water, spices, and onion to boil. Allow to cool for a half an hour or more. Place beef in a glass or porcelain container sufficient in size to allow the beef to be adequately covered by the marinade. You can add a little more water and vinegar (1:1 ratio) to cover. Pour marinade over the beef, cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 days, turning once a day.
• Strain vegetables from solution. Reserve solution. Thoroughly brown beef in hot oil, transfer to roasting pan or crock pot and cook in solution like a pot roast.* Remove meat and return a portion of the solution to a pan depending how much gravy you want. Add enough gingersnaps to thicken to a moderately thin gravy.) Slice meat and serve with spaetzels, potato dumplings, or potato pancakes and red cabbage.
• *Suggestion: cook in a crock-pot on low for 6-8 hours until tender.

TRADITIONAL GERMAN SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Wipe beef with a damp cloth and season with salt and pepper. Place seasoned beef in a large glass bowl.
• Combine vinegar, carrots, onion, peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, and parsley in a bowl; pour over beef. Cover dish tightly with a lid or plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate beef, turning daily, for 3 to 7 days.
• Drain meat, reserving liquid and vegetables. Rub flour over all sides of beef.
• Heat butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; brown beef on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Add onions, carrots, and 2 cups reserved liquid. Cover Dutch oven, lower heat to medium-low, and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours. Transfer beef to a serving platter.
• Stir gingersnap crumbs and sugar into the liquid in Dutch oven; cook and stir until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over meat.

BELLE'S HAMBURGER BUNS

Steps:

• Combine the milk, 1 cup of water, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat and let stand until lukewarm. If the mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour and yeast. Pour in wet ingredients and stir until the dough starts to pull together. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook to mix for about 8 minutes. If not, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and divide into 12 portions They should be a little larger than a golf ball. Make tight balls out of the dough by pulling the dough tightly around and pinching it at the bottom. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. After the rolls sit for a minute and relax, flatten each ball with the palm of your hand until it is 3 to 4 inches wide. You may want to oil your hand first. Set rolls aside until they double in size, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Mix together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a cup or small bowl. Brush onto the tops of the rolls. Position 2 oven racks so they are not too close to the top or bottom of the oven.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the rolls from the oven and return them to different shelves so each one spends a little time on the top. Continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until nicely browned on the top and bottom.