Old Fashioned Authentic Sauerbraten

[patriot45]

I'll start now but finish on sat or sun! This needs to marinate for a few days! I've never made this before it will be a new experience!


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1 boneless 4 lb beef shoulder
1 large onion sliced
3 large carrots sliced

marinade & Gravy:
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup white sugar
1 heaping Tbs. pickling spice

2 bay leaves
gingersnaps cookies , 1/4 cup pulverized boxed store-bought kind

Yes!!!! Gingersnap is in this recipe! :D
It will be in the gravy!

How to make it
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In a saucepot combine the vinegar, sugar, spice, bay leaves, onions and carrots and bring to a rolling boil.

Pour immediately over the roast which as been placed in a crock or glass bowl ( non metal ) .
Let cool to room temperature.

Place marinating meat in a cold area ( such as a root cellar, cold basement etc. ) in your home.

Let marinade about 3 to 5 days.-( the longer- better flavor) , turning meat in the bag at least twice a day-.
The meat won't spoil in the pickled mixture but if you feel uncomfortable you can place the meat in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, remove roast from marinade and salt and pepper the meat.
Place meat in roasting pan and pour over marinade.
Seal pan tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil.
Roast at 325F 3 to 4 hours ( baste meat with liquid every hour ) until meat is fork tender.
Remove meat to a platter.

Strain liquid from the roasting pan into a sauce pan, reserving the carrots for garnish.
Thicken liquid with some flour or pulverized gingersnaps and stir to make desired thickened gravy.
Serve this sauce over slices of meat, garnished with some of the carrots.
Accompany sauerbraten with items such as red cabbage, potato pancakes, potato dumplings or wide egg noodles.

First step marinate for a few days!



Stay tuned for the finished product!:D

[Rockntractor]

Now your talking!

[Gingersnap]

LOL! You don't have to use cookies but some people like that. Brace yourself for the color of the finished product. It has been known to alarm some. This marinade is pretty bug-proof so penetrates better at non-fridge temps (but not warm temps).

You can cook this slower and longer, if you like. It's delish. Make up some horseradish sauce for it. Homemade horseradish sauce is the best!

I have never used white sugar for this - always brown so that's different. Also, this recipe doesn't need to be so sweet. What I mean is, if you don't like sweet-tasting meat (we don't and the Germans don't), you can cut the sugar down drastically along with some reduction of (cider) vinegar. Also, throw some juniper berries and cloves in there.

Basically, the OP recipe is fine and adjusted to American tastes but you can also do the same thing in a more German way and get a similar but less sweet product. Your choice. :)

I make this myself, obviously.

[megimoo]

You need a few sides to go with the sour pot roast.Dumplings and German Red Cabbage.

And I Almost forgot Plenty of black Pumpernickel bread and butter and a bunch of ice cold beer preferably Bock,"ein Bock" ("a billy goat") .The Jewish Pumpernickel tastes better than the German and has a much richer taste.

Dumplings are Old-fashioned German comfort food .
15 - 20 dumplings

Ingredients:

6 T. butter, divided
1 c. dry white bread crumbs
2 slices fresh white bread, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. regular farina, not quick-cooking3 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
3 1/2 c. cold, riced potatoes, about 4-5 medium potatoes (Russets, or other baking potatoes)
2 eggs, lightly beaten


Brown bread crumbs in 4 tablespoons butter. Remove from pan, add the other 2 tablespoons butter and brown the bread cubes. Drain both on paper towels.

Place the riced potatoes in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the flour, farina, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, nutmeg and pepper. Add the mix in three or more portions to the potatoes, beating after each addition. Add eggs and mix well. If mixture is too thin to hold together in a ball, add flour a little at a time to mixture.

Bring 4 quarts of water and remaining salt to a boil in a 6-8 quart pot.

Lightly flour your hands and shape each dumpling into a 2 inch ball. Press a hole into the center of the ball, place 2-3 croutons into it and reform the ball around the croutons.

Drop all of the dumplings into the boiling water and stir gently, so they don’t stick to each other. Reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until dumplings rise to the surface. Cook for 1 additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a preheated platter. Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs and serve immediately.


German Red Cabbage

2 tablespoons butter
5 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup sliced green apples
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup white sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves


Place butter, cabbage, apples, and sugar into a large pot. Pour in the vinegar and water, and season with salt, pepper, and clove. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the cabbage is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

[patriot45]

LOL! You don't have to use cookies but some people like that. Brace yourself for the color of the finished product. It has been known to alarm some. This marinade is pretty bug-proof so penetrates better at non-fridge temps (but not warm temps).

You can cook this slower and longer, if you like. It's delish. Make up some horseradish sauce for it. Homemade horseradish sauce is the best!

I have never used white sugar for this - always brown so that's different. Also, this recipe doesn't need to be so sweet. What I mean is, if you don't like sweet-tasting meat (we don't and the Germans don't), you can cut the sugar down drastically along with some reduction of (cider) vinegar. Also, throw some juniper berries and cloves in there.

Basically, the OP recipe is fine and adjusted to American tastes but you can also do the same thing in a more German way and get a similar but less sweet product. Your choice. :)

I make this myself, obviously.

It is a first time to cook it and I have actually never ate it before! I couldn't find juniper berries, I saw other recipes using them and I dont particulary like the taste of cloves except for a ham.
Its a culinary experiment! :D
I think I'll make some red cabbage and noodles with it!

Horseradish sounds like a great idea!

[megimoo]

It is a first time to cook it and I have actually never ate it before! I couldn't find juniper berries, I saw other recipes using them and I dont particulary like the taste of cloves except for a ham.
Its a culinary experiment! :D
I think I'll make some red cabbage and noodles with it!

Horseradish sounds like a great idea!

Those wide egg noodles are great with this dish .I had this dish every week at Jacob Worths in Boston when I was working in the area.The sour pot roast with red gravey,horse radish,dumplings and sweet and sour red cabbage, black bread and a few cold Becks dark beer .Finish it off with some rich bread pudding with strong black coffee.

[Gingersnap]

It is a first time to cook it and I have actually never ate it before! I couldn't find juniper berries, I saw other recipes using them and I dont particulary like the taste of cloves except for a ham.
Its a culinary experiment! :D
I think I'll make some red cabbage and noodles with it!

Horseradish sounds like a great idea!

The cloves and juniper berries add an indefinable taste to it - you don't "recognize" them in the finished product. Next time, try it along with a less sweet recipe.

Do make cabbage. Red is sweeter but green is fine. Any tangy bread pairs well with this. Black bread is okay but a sourdough is better in my opinion. I like dumplings but you need a boatload of gravy to make it happen. Egg noodles are fine but I've served this with mashed potatoes and had no complaints.

You just have to make the horseradish sauce, though. I make mine this time of year. You need a good hard freeze to sweeten it. It's still tear-your-head-off hot, though. I dig the roots, top and tail them, peel and take my Vitamix outside to pulverize them. Do not do this inside - trust me.

I freeze the paste and use it as needed to make nice sauces.

[patriot45]

I used the cloves!

It went over well, the meat was soooo tender and the ginger snap gravy was surprisingly good! The cabbage was killer!

Cabbage cooking down


All marinated for 5 days and going in the oven


Filling food served on special la chinet tableware! :D