Old World Sauerbraten Food

OLD-COUNTRY SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Place bay leaves and cloves on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with kitchen string to form a bag. In a large saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Add spice bag. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; cool completely. , Place the roast in a 2-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add half of the marinade. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 3 days, turning once each day. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade., Remove meat from marinade; discard marinade, onions and spice bag. In a Dutch oven, brown roast in butter on all sides. Sprinkle with sugar. Add reserved marinade. Bring to a boil. Stir in molasses. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until meat is tender. , Remove roast to a cutting board. Cut into thin slices; set aside. Skim fat from cooking juices. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into juices. Add gingersnaps. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Return meat to gravy; heat through. Serve with spaetzle.

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.

GERMAN SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine salt and ginger; rub over roast. Place in a deep glass bowl. In a large bowl, combine the water, vinegar and sugar. Pour half of marinade into a large saucepan; add half of the onions, pickling spices, peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Pour over roast; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days, turning twice a day., To the remaining marinade, add the remaining onions, pickling spices, peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves. Cover and refrigerate., Drain and discard marinade from roast; pat roast dry. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown roast in oil on all sides. Pour 1 cup of reserved marinade with all of the onions and seasonings over roast (cover and refrigerate remaining marinade). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3 hours or until meat is tender., Strain cooking juices, discarding onions and seasonings. Add enough reserved marinade to the cooking juices to measure 3 cups. Pour into a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add gingersnaps; reduce heat and simmer until gravy is thickened. Slice roast and serve with gravy.

SAUERBRATEN, KARL RATZSCH'S OLD WORLD RESTAURANT STYLE

Steps:

• Trim meat of all but a thin layer of fat; place in a glass bowl.
• Add water, vinegar, sugar, onions, celery, salt, pepper and pickling spices to bowl; stir to mix.
• Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 3 to 5 days, turning meat each day.
• (The flavor is more intense with each day that passes).
• Remove meat from marinade; reserve marinade; pat meat dry with paper toweling.
• Heat shortening in dutch oven.
• Brown meat on all sides.
• Remove fat from pan.
• Pour marinade over meat.
• Roast uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Cover; continue roasting 2 1/2- 3 hours, or until meat is tender.
• Remove meat to platter.
• Strain marinade; remove fat and return marinade to pan.
• Stir in gingersnap crumbs.
• Heat until thickened; strain again.
• Slice meat and serve with gravy.

OLD WORLD SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• 3 to 4 days before serving:.
• Place steak in shallow enamel or glass dish. Combine salt, pepper, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, sliced onions, sliced carrots, chopped celery, vinegar and water. Pour over meat, cover and refrigerate.
• About 3 1/2 hours before serving:.
• 1. Remove steak from marinade, dry with paper towels, saving marinade.
• 2. Heat oil and brown meat on both sides.
• 3. To drippings add flour and sugar, brown lightly, scraping bottom of pan well; stir in marinade, bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Add steak and simmer, covered, for 3 hours or until fork tender.
• 4. Remove steak to cutting board then carefully remove surface fat from gravy. Stir in crushed gingersnaps to make gravy cook and stir until smooth.
• 5. Meanwhile cut meat into 1/2 inch thick slices and arrange onto serving dish.

SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over high heat combine the water, cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, onion, carrot, salt, pepper, bay leaves, cloves, juniper, and mustard seeds. Cover and bring this to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Pat the bottom round dry and rub with vegetable oil and salt on all sides. Heat a large saute pan over high heat; add the meat and brown on all sides, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• When the marinade has cooled to a point where you can stick your finger in it and not be burned, place the meat in a non-reactive vessel and pour over the marinade. Place into the refrigerator for 3 days. If the meat is not completely submerged in the liquid, turn it over once a day.
• After 3 days of marinating, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Add the sugar to the meat and marinade, cover and place on the middle rack of the oven and cook until tender, approximately 4 hours.
• Remove the meat from the vessel and keep warm. Strain the liquid to remove the solids. Return the liquid to the pan and place over medium-high heat. Whisk in the gingersnaps and cook until thickened, stirring occasionally. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. Add the raisins if desired. Slice the meat and serve with the sauce.

OLD-WORLD SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high. Brown beef on all sides. Add all remaining ingredients except gingersnaps; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until beef is tender, about 3 hour., During the last 30 minutes, stir in gingersnaps. Remove meat; discard bay leaves and cloves. While slicing meat, bring gravy to a boil to reduce and thicken.

CLASSIC SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Combine first 8 ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cool. Place beef in a bowl slightly larger than beef. Pour marinade over. Cover and chill for at least 2 days (up to 4 days is better), turning beef twice daily.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove beef from marinade and place in roasting pan; reserve marinade. Roast beef until tender, about 2 hours. Transfer beef to carving board; cool. Pour any accumulated juices from roasting pan into marinade. Strain marinade (do not clean roasting pan.).
• Mix 1/4 cup oil and flour in heavy large skillet. Stir over medium heat until dark brown, about 10 minutes. Gradually mix in 2 cups of marinade (discard any remaining marinade) and beef broth. Boil until thick, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Mix in brown sugar and cookie crumbs. Pour into roasting pan and place over medium heat. Bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Slice beef and arrange in large baking dish. Pour sauce over meat. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake beef until heated through, about 15 minutes.

SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Season meat with salt and pepper and coat with flour.
• Heat oil in large skillet. Brown floured meat in saute skillet with onion and green pepper.
• Add 2 cups water, bouillon, vinegar and brown sugar.
• Bring to boil.
• Cover and simmer 1- 2 hours until steak is tender.
• Serve over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes.

SAME DAY SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Put oil& meat in a heavy pot or dutch oven.
• Brown meat on all sides.
• Remove from pot& pour off fat.
• Put a rack in pot.
• Add meat& 3/4 cup water.
• Cover.
• Bring to a boil& Simmer 1 hour (meat will not be done).
• Remove meat.
• Set on a cutting board in a shallow pan.
• Cut meat in 1/2 inch slices.
• Remove rack from pot.
• Put sliced meat back in pot with any juices from the shallow pan.
• Add 3/4 cup water and remaining ingredients except last 2.
• Bring to a boil again, simmer covered (adding more water if needed) 1 1/2 hours or untill tender.
• Remove meat to a hot platter.
• Thicken broth with a small amount of flour& water.
• When thickened simmer 2 minute.
• Serve with meat.
• 6 servings.

TRADITIONAL SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Place beef rump roast, onions, vinegar, water, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, sugar, cloves, and bay leaves in a large pot. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days, turning meat daily. Remove meat from marinade and pat dry with paper towels, reserving marinade.
• Season flour to taste with salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Sprinkle flour mixture over beef.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat; cook beef until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Pour reserved marinade over beef, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until beef is tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Remove beef to a platter and slice.
• Strain solids from remaining liquid and continue cooking over medium heat. Add gingersnap cookies and simmer until gravy is thickened about 10 minutes. Serve gravy over sliced beef.