Sauerbraten
Rheinischer Sauerbraten: vinegar-marinated pot roast with raisin gravy
Sauerbraten is the Rhineland's Sunday roast, from Cologne to Düsseldorf, and in the old days it was a way to keep beef for a week. A joint of topside sits for three days in a spiced vinegar marinade, then is braised slowly and served with a sweet-sour gravy thickened with crumbled gingerbread (Printen or Lebkuchen) and raisins. Red cabbage and potato dumplings are the classic plate. Many families put red wine in the marinade; this version uses red wine vinegar and stock, so it is alcohol-free, and you can swap 250 ml of the water for red wine if you like. A common mistake is serving it too soon: give the meat the full three days in the fridge so the vinegar reaches the middle. Chef's tip: dry the beef very well before browning, or it will steam and stay grey.
- Total time
- 210 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the marinade
For the roast
For the gravy
Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Put 1 ¼ cups red wine vinegar, 2 cups water, 2 onion, 1 carrot, 3 ½ oz celeriac, 3 bay leaves, 4 whole cloves, 6 juniper berries, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 4 allspice berries and 1 tbsp sugar in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then cool completely.
5 minStep 2: Put 3 ⅓ lb beef topside or silverside joint in a snug non-metal dish or a large food bag and pour over the cold marinade so the meat is covered. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 3 days, turning it once a day. Never leave it out of the fridge.
Step 3: Lift out the beef and pat it completely dry with kitchen paper. Strain the marinade, keeping both the liquid and the vegetables. Rub the beef with 2 tsp salt.
Step 4: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy casserole over a high heat. Brown the beef well on all sides, about 10 minutes in total. Lift it out.
10 minStep 5: Add the drained vegetables to the pot and fry for 5 minutes until they colour at the edges. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste for 1 minute.
6 minStep 6: Pour in 500 ml of the strained marinade and 1 ¼ cups beef stock, scraping up the brown bits. Put the beef back, bring to a simmer, cover and cook over a low heat (or in the oven at 325°F, fan 275°F).
5 minStep 7: Braise for 2½ hours, turning the beef halfway, until a skewer slides into the centre with little resistance.
150 minStep 8: Lift the beef onto a board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes so the juices settle before slicing.
15 minStep 9: Meanwhile, strain the cooking liquid into a pan, pressing the vegetables. Add 2 ⅛ oz German gingerbread (Lebkuchen or Printen), 2 ⅛ oz raisins and 1 tbsp sugar beet syrup or dark treacle and simmer, whisking, for 8–10 minutes until the gingerbread dissolves and the gravy coats a spoon. Taste: it should be gently sweet and sour; add a splash of the leftover marinade if it needs more tang.
10 minStep 10: Slice the beef against the grain about 1 cm thick and serve with plenty of gravy, red cabbage and potato dumplings. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 3 days; reheat slices in the gravy until piping hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 50 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sauerbraten take?
- About 210 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 180 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of red wine vinegar?
- Sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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