Dish of Sliced Sauerbraten
(click to enlarge)

Sauerbraten


Germany, Rhineland   -   Rheinisher Sauerbraten
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 5 main
***
5+ days
Must		 Sauerbraten is made all over Germany by numerous recipes, but that of the Rhineland is widely considered the best.

3
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5
4
1
3
10
2
4
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2
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1/2
1/4
3
2
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4
14
1
1
2
1/2
1
1/2
1/4
3
ar
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oz
c
c
T



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T
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t
t
T
T
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oz
oz
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T
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Beef (1)
-- Marinade
Onion
Red Wine (2)
Water
Lemon Juice
Peppercorns
Bay Leaves
Cloves
----------
Parsley
-- Browning
Salt
Pepper
Flour
Butter
---------
Carrot
Onion
Butter
Tomato Paste
Sugar
Red Wine (3)
Raisins, white  
Salt
Pepper
Ginger Snaps
Current Jelly (4)
Marinade   -   (4 to 5 days - 20 min work)
  1. Tie the BEEF with kitchen twine in several places. This not only holds it together firmly but serves as a handle for turning it.
  2. Chop ONION fine. Mix All Marinade Items. Bring the marinade to a rapid boil in an uncovered saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Place Beef in a heatproof glass or ceramic bowl and pour the hot marinade over it. Cool to near room temperature. If the marinade doesn't cover add 50% water 50% vinegar (boil it first).
  4. Chop Parsley fine and add to marinade. Cover (plate or plastic, not foil) and keep in a cool place. Turn the beef every 8 hours for at least 4 days (see Note-5).
Run   -   (4-3/4 hrs - 40 min work)
  1. Start RAISINS soaking in water to cover.
  2. Lift Beef from the marinade, drain it well and pat as dry as you can with paper towels (so it will brown well).
  3. Strain the Marinade, separately reserving both liquids and solids.
  4. Rub Beef with Salt and Pepper, then dust with Flour.
  5. Melt Butter in a heavy Dutch oven and fry the Beef over moderately high heat, turning until browned all over.
  6. Remove Beef and set aside. Discard all drippings from the Dutch oven.
  7. Slice CARROT thin. Chop Onion medium. Mix.
  8. In the Dutch Oven, melt Butter and add Carrot mix. Fry stirring often until onions are lightly colored, then stir in reserved Solids from the marinade and fry stirring a couple minutes more.
  9. Return Beef to the pot. Add 2 cups Liquid from the marinade (keep the rest) and the Tomato Paste. Bring to a boil, turn down and simmer slowly covered for 3-1/2 to 4 hours until the beef is tender (test with a long skewer).Turn now and then and check liquid, maintaining it near its original level.
  10. When Beef is tender, remove it and cover with foil to keep warm.
  11. Strain the Liquid and discard the solids. Defat the liquid (see Note-6). Pour back in the pot and add remaining Liquid from the marinade, Sugar, Red Wine, Raisins, Salt and Pepper. Crumble in Ginger Snaps and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Boil gently until reduced by nearly half and a nice sauce consistency.
  12. Taste the Sauce and if too sour mix in Current Jelly until you have the tartness you like.
  13. Slice Beef about 1/4 inch thick across the grain. Arrange overlapping slices on a platter and pour sauce over. Place any extra sauce in a boat to pass separately. Serve warm.
NOTES:

  1. Beef:

      The best cut for this recipe is some part of the round. It needs to be a fairly tough cut to stand up to the long marinade and simmering. On the other hand, it should be good quality meat with at least some marbeling. A cut with a thin outer layer of fat is best.   Important:   to be able to slice the beef you must select a cut where the grain goes lengthwise. A cut with crosswise grain tastes fine, but breaks up.

  2. Red Wine #1:

      A dry German red is preferred, but they're pretty scarce around here. Other good dry reds will work fine.

  3. Red Wine #2:

      Again a German red wine is preferred, but this one can be just medium dry. Other reds will also do fine.
  4. Red Current Jelly:   This is not real common around here, but an orange marmalade or similar can be substituted.

  5. Marinating:

      In Germany the marinating would be done in a cool place, like an unheated pantry or root cellar. The acidic marinade protects the meat from spoilage. This is not so practical here in Sunny Southern California, so it'll have to spend a lot of the time in the refrigerator, with more time allowed (maybe an extra day). Instead of keeping it in a covered bowl you can bag it with the marinade in a strong polyethylene bag. Seal the bag and turn every 8 hours.

  6. De-fat:

      Use your gravy separator. It'll take several batches so pour off only 2/3 of what's in the separator before refilling to keep fat out of the pour spout.

  7. Variations:

      Some recipes use sour cream instead of tomato paste, mostly in Bavaria.
  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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