Sauerbraten with Sweet & Sour Cabbage
Submitted by lnhards
Traditional German sauerbraten with bottom round beef marinated 3-4 days in vinegar, then braised with red wine, beef stock, and tomato puree. A tangy, fork-tender roast with rich gravy.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
3 daysCOOK
3 hrsREADY
3 daysSauerbraten is the crown jewel of German beef cookery, and it demands patience. A six-pound bottom round sits in a vinegar-water marinade seasoned with cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, and garlic for 3 to 4 days, turning once daily. That long pickle transforms a tough, lean cut into something deeply flavored and fork-tender after braising.
Once marinated, the beef sears hard in bacon drippings until crusty on all sides. Then the marinade, red wine, beef stock, tomato puree, and brown sugar come together for a 3-hour braise that breaks down the connective tissue. The gravy gets strained, reduced, and thickened with cornstarch into a glossy, tangy sauce with layers of sweet, sour, and savory.
This is a weekend project, but the kind where most of the time is hands-off. The marinade does its work in the fridge; the braise does its work on the stove.
Pro Tips
- Use a stainless steel or glass container for marinating. Reactive metals like aluminum will interact with the vinegar and give the meat a metallic taste.
- Sear the meat thoroughly on every surface. That crust locks in flavor and adds body to the final gravy.
- Turn the beef once daily in the marinade so all sides pickle evenly.
- Reduce the strained gravy to 3½ cups before thickening. Concentrating it first means a richer, more intensely flavored sauce.
Variations
- Gingersnap gravy: Stir crushed gingersnap cookies into the gravy instead of cornstarch for a traditional sweet-spiced thickener.
- With sweet and sour cabbage: Serve alongside braised red cabbage with apples and vinegar for the classic German plate.
- Slow cooker: After searing and marinating, transfer everything to a slow cooker on low for 8 hours.
Ingredients
Directions
Put Water and Vinegar into a stainless steel stock pot.
Add all the Marinate Ingredients.
Place Beef in tbe pot, allowing Marinade to cover the Meat. It sbould be kept in the refrigerator about 3 to 4 days for pickling, and turned once a day. Remove tbe Meat from tbe Marinade, place in a roasting pan with tbe Bacon Drippings, and sear well on all sides.
Place the Marinade and the Wine, Beef Stock, Tomato Puree, and Brown Sugar in a thick-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Add the seared Meat and simmer for 3 hours, lid on.
Reserve Meat in a warm place until ready to carve. Strain the Gravy and reduce to 3½ cups, add diluted Starch, continuously stirring while bringing to a boil. Adjust Seasonlng and serve Gravy with carved Meat.
Comments
