Special Sauerbraten Food

SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Marinate the meat for about 5 to 10 days before you want to serve this dish.
• Rinse the meat and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Add the red wine vinegar and the red wine to a large bowl.
• Add all spices and the garlic paste and mix well.
• Coarsely chop the root vegetables and add them to the bowl as well.
• Slice the onion and add half of the slices to the bowl.
• Place the meat into the bowl and cover it with the other half of the onion slices.
• The meat should be fully submerged in the liquid. If it is not, use a smaller bowl or add up to 2 cups of beef broth.
• Cover the bowl airtight and let the meat marinate in the refrigerator for at least 5, and up to 10 days.
• Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry.
• Melt lard in a large pot.
• Strain the vegetables from the liquid and set both aside.
• Sear the meat on all sides.
• Add the vegetable and about 2/3 of the liquid to the pot.
• Stir the honey into the liquid and bring to a simmer.
• Simmer for about 2 hours covered on medium high heat, turn the meat every half hour.
• Remove the meat from the pan and strain the vegetables from the liquid. Discard the vegetables and set the liquid aside.
• Melt butter in a pan, add the flour and brown.
• De-glaze with the liquid, salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 min.
• Add the meat back to the pot to keep warm until you serve it.
• Serve with a vegetable dish and bread dumplings or Spätzle.

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.

SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• The marinade - 48 to 72 hours in advance: Place the peppercorns, juniper and allspice into a mortar or small plastic bag, or fold up a piece of waxed paper. Crush with the pestle if using the mortar or a rolling pin or hammer if using the bag or paper. Transfer the crushed spices to a small saucepan. Add the bay leaves, cloves, salt, vinegar, wine, and onion slices and bring to a boil. Transfer the marinade to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. (I prefer a glass or stainless steel bowl. Whatever you use, don't use plastic: the acidic marinade will absorb flavors from plastic.)
• Tying and marinating the meat: Using kitchen string, tie the beef into a neat, compact shape. As soon as the marinade is cool, add the beef to the bowl and roll in the marinade to coat all sides. Cover, refrigerate and marinate for 2 to 3 days, turning the meat once or twice a day. (There is no special timing here for turning the beef in the marinade. You just want to make sure that over the course of the 48 or 72 hours, the meat is turned 3 or 4 times so it marinates evenly.) Heat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Browning the meat: With tongs, lift the meat out of the marinade, scraping any onion slices or spices that stick to the meat back into the marinade, and transfer it to a plate. Reserve the marinade. Pat the meat thoroughly dry all over with paper towels. Heat the butter and oil in a large Dutch oven or other braising pot over medium heat. Add the meat to the pot and brown well on all sides, 20 to 25 minutes total. (You may need 2 implements to turn the meat: try tongs and a large metal spatula. Lift the meat from the pan with the spatula, grab with the tongs, and turn.) Transfer the meat back to the plate. Pour off all the fat from the pan, and deglaze the pan with the reserved marinade, scraping any browned bits to loosen. Bring the marinade to a simmer and add the meat. Cover with parchment paper, pressing down so it nearly touches the meat and the edges of the paper hang over the sides of the pot by about 1-inch. Set the lid firmly in place, and transfer to the lower third of the oven.
• The braise: Braise the meat at a gentle simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Check after about the first 10 minutes to see that the liquid is not simmering too energetically; if it is, lower the oven by 10 to 15 degrees. After 1 1/2 hours, turn the meat over, using the tongs, and metal spatula, and continue braising gently for another 1 1/2 hours, or until fork-tender.
• The finish: With the tongs and metal spatula, transfer the meat to a cutting board with a moat and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Strain the cooking juices into a saucepan and let sit for a minute. Gently tilt the pan and skim off the fat with a large spoon. Whisk in the gingersnap crumbs and sugar, place the pan over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Gently boil the sauce for 5 minutes, whisking often, to reduce and thicken it slightly. Lower the heat to low and whisk in the sour cream until smooth. Heat through, but do not let the sauce boil, or the sour cream will curdle. Taste the sauce for salt.
• Serving: Remove the strings from the meat, and pour any accumulated juices into the sauce. Carve the beef into thick slices. If the slices crumble, which they sometimes will, just cut into irregular pieces and arrange on a platter. Spoon the sauce over the beef and serve.

SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups broth, the wine, vinegar, 1 chopped onion, the crushed garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, juniper berries, peppercorns and cloves in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Place the beef in a large resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days, turning daily.
• Preheat the oven to 350. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry; season with salt. Strain the marinade, discarding the solids. Heat a large ovenproof pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the meat and brown on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Add the carrots, celery and the remaining onion to the pot and cook until slightly softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic and chopped thyme and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the strained marinade and the remaining 1 cup broth and bring to a simmer. Return the meat to the pot, cover and cook in the oven until tender, 2 hours 30 minutes.
• Remove the meat and transfer to a plate. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the gingersnaps and simmer until thickened; season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the meat; serve with spaetzle, the vegetables and sauce and sour cream, if desired. Top with parsley.

SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Combine the red wine, red wine vinegar, and pickling spice. Place the beef in a non-reactive container just large enough to hold the meat and 4 1/2 cups of liquid. Pour the liquid over the meat. It should be completely covered with liquid. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days, rotating every 12 hours or so. Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a dutch oven. Sear the meat on all sides and ends until very dark brown, remove the meat. Add the onions, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, add the tomato paste, and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Strain the brine and add it to the dutch oven. Add the meat, and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours or until fork tender, rotating occasionally. Remove the meat, whisk in the cookie crumbs. Puree with a hand held blender until smooth. Season. Thinly slice the meat against the grain. Top with the gravy. Garnish with chopped parsley.

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.

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.

AUTHENTIC SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Place the beef roast in a deep ceramic or glass bowl. Add onions, peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaf. Pour white vinegar and cider vinegar over the meat; chill, covered, for 4 days. Turn meat twice each day.
• Remove the meat from the marinade, dry it well with paper towels, and strain the marinade into a bowl. Reserve onions and 1 cup marinade.
• In a Dutch oven brown the meat on all sides in hot vegetable oil.
• Sprinkle meat with salt. Pour boiling water around the meat. sprinkle in crushed gingersna ps, and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours. Turn often.
• Add 1 cup of reserved marinade and cook meat 2 hours or more, until tender.
• Remove the meat and keep it warm. Strain the cooking juices into a large saucepan.
• In a small bowl mix sour cream with flour. Stir it into the cooking juices and cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and smooth.
• Slice meat in 1/4 inch slices; add to hot gravy.
• Arrange meat on a heated plater and pour extra sauce over it.

SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Place meat in a bowl, set aside.
• Combine vinegar, water, peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves, salt and pepper in a sauce pan and heat just to boiling.
• Remove from heat; cool slightly.
• Pour mixture over meat, and let cool.
• Cover bowl tightly and refrigerate for 5 days, turning meat once a day.
• Remove meat from marinade and drain thoroughly.
• Strain and reserve marinade.
• Put pot roast into a Dutch oven (very large covered pot), and brown meat on both sides.
• Add 1 cup of the reserved marinade, the carrots and onions.
• Bring rapidly to boiling, cover tightly and simmer about 2 hours, or until tender.
• If necessary, add more marinade while simmering.
• Remove meat to a warm platter and keep warm.
• Stir the crushed gingersnaps and sugar into the liquid in Dutch oven.
• Simmer the gravy for 10 minutes.
• Serve Sauerbraten with the gingersnap gravy, red or white cabbage and kartoffel balle (potato balls) to complete the meal.