Real German Sauerbraten
by Jay Wadams
One of the most delicious and traditional ways to serve beef roast, my authentic German Sauerbraten recipe is made from beef that has been marinated in wine, vinegar and spices, then slow-roasted to fork-tender perfection. Serve with red cabbage and potato dumplings for a proper German feast!
Ingredients
for the roast:
- 1.25 kg beef rump or chuck roast see notes
for the marinade:
- 500 ml red wine
- 250 ml red wine vinegar
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 shallots peeled and sliced
- 2 Tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp juniper berries
- 1 tsp allspice berries optional
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- ½ tsp whole cloves
- 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
to cook:
- ½ head celeriac celery root, diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 1 leek diced
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 250 ml beef broth
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 4 ginger or spice cookies crushed (ginger snaps, speculaas etc.)
- 1-2 Tbsp cornstarch optional
- sea salt and black pepper
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
- MARINADE THE BEEF: Trim the beef of any tough silver skin, then place it in a large container. It needs a lid, so Tupperware or a large dutch oven is ideal. In a large bowl, stir together all marinade ingredients, then pour over the meat. It should be mostly submerged, so top up with a little extra wine if necessary. Place in the bottom of the fridge and marinate for 5-7 days, turning daily.
- PREPARE TO COOK: When you are ready to cook, remove the beef from the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. Pour the marinade through a sieve and keep it to the side, you’ll need it for the sauce. Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4.
- BROWN THE BEEF: Heat vegetable oil in a large dutch oven or heavy-based saucepan. Brown meat well on all sides over medium-high heat. Remove from the ban and set aside.
- SAUTÉ VEGETABLES: Add a splash more oil to the pan if necessary, then add the celeriac and carrots. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until beginning to soften, then add the leek and cook a further 2-3 minutes.
- ADD LIQUID: Pour the beef broth or stock, tomato paste and 250ml (1 cup) of the trained marinade into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned-on bits on the bottom of the pan.
- COOK BEEF: Remove from the heat and carefully lift the beef into to pan, pouring over any resting juices. Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 2-2.5 hours (see notes on timing).
- MAKE SAUCE: When the beef is tender, carefully remove it from the pan and keep it warm. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan, stir through the crushed cookies and simmer until dissolved. If you need to thicken the sauce further, stir the cornstarch into a little cold water to make a slurry and add to the sauce, simmering until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper or extra sugar if necessary.
- SERVE: Slice the sauerbraten and serve with plenty of sauce, red cabbage and potato dumplings (recipe coming soon!).
Notes
- CUT OF MEAT: You can use any decent-sized beef roast for Sauerbraten, though the recipe is best with the cheaper cuts from the shoulder or top of the leg as it has a long cooking time. Top round, rump roast or boneless beef chuck roast are all suitable. In Germany, I often use a ‘burgermeisterstück’ which is particularly delicious.
- COOKING TIME: Depending on the age of the animal, how long the beef has been in the marinade and the pot you are cooking it in, Sauerbraten cooking time can vary. I allow 2-3 hours of cooking time and start testing after 2 hours to see if it is fork tender.
- SAUCE THICKENING: In Southern Germany, it is traditional to thicken sauerbraten sauce with ginger cookies, so much so that we have a special type of cookie which is only used for thickening sauce! Gingersnap cookies or spice biscuits will work and I often thicken the sauce further with a little cornstarch.
Nutrition
Serving: 3 slices | Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 823mg | Potassium: 1240mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3734IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 7mg