Traditional German Sauerbraten Food

SAUERBRATEN - SOUR ROAST (TRADITIONAL)

Steps:

• Chop the vegetables.
• Add roast, vegetables, and spices into a fitting pot.
• Spice with salt and pepper if needed.
• Cover with wine and red wine vinegar.
• Close the lid, place the pot into the fridge and marinade for 5 to 7 days.
• After marinating the roast, take the meat out of the pot and pad it dry from all sides.
• Strain the marinade through a sieve, keeping the liquid and discarding the vegetables.
• In a large pot, heat the oil.
• Add the meat and roast it from all sides.
• Add the chopped onions and sauté for a bit.
• Now pour the marinade and beef stock over the roast and bring to a boil.
• Add the honey.
• Let the roast simmer for 2hours, flip the meat every 30 minutes.
• After 2 hours, remove the roast from the pot, cover, and let rest while making the gravy.
• Put the Ginger Snaps into the gravy and let soak for a few minutes. Then blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
• Add honey and spices if needed, optional smoothen with a little cream if the gravy has too much acid.
• Add the raisins.
• Cut the roast into slices, serve with the gravy and potato dumplings or spätzle or potatoes and red cabbage or carrots.

RHINELAND SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Place meat in a large plastic bag. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine vinegar, wine, water, onions, celery, carrots, pepper, cloves, bay leaves, sugar and salt; pour over meat. Fasten bag tightly and lay flat in a 9" X 13" pan. Refrigerate 2-3 days, turning bag each day. (If you like sour sauerbraten, let marinate for 4 days.)
• When ready to cook, remove meat (saving marinade) and dry well. Rub the surface lightly with flour. In a Dutch oven, heat oil and slowly brown the meat well on all sides. Add 1 cup of the marinade liquid plus some of the vegetables and bay leaves. Cover tightly and simmer on surface heat or in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 3 to 4 hours until the meat is fork tender. If needed, add more marinade during the cooking time to keep at least 1/2 inch liquid in the Dutch oven. Remove the meat and keep warm until ready to slice.
• Into a large measuring cup, strain the drippings. Add several ice cubes and let stand for a few minutes until the fat separates out. Remove the fat, then make the gravy.

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.

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.

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.