Westphalian Sauerbraten Recipes

SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Season beef well with salt and pepper. Tie meat tightly every 2 inches with kitchen twine, and once from end to end, to help keep meat intact. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy casserole over medium heat. Brown meat evenly on all sides, including the ends. Transfer to a plate, and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium low, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, and onions. Cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add bay leaves, tomato paste, ketchup, red-wine vinegar, and red wine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Return beef to pot, and add 2 cups water. (The liquid should come halfway up the side of the beef.) Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 1 hour, turn beef, and continue to cook until fork-tender, another 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove pot from heat. Let cool slightly, and transfer beef to a cutting board with a well. Remove twine, and let beef rest for 15 minutes. Skim the fat from the surface of the sauce in the casserole. Taste the sauce, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in sour cream. Slice meat across the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Place meat back into sauce. Transfer to a large serving platter; ladle over sauce. Serve immediately.

TRADITIONAL GERMAN SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Wipe beef with a damp cloth and season with salt and pepper. Place seasoned beef in a large glass bowl.
• Combine vinegar, carrots, onion, peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, and parsley in a bowl; pour over beef. Cover dish tightly with a lid or plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate beef, turning daily, for 3 to 7 days.
• Drain meat, reserving liquid and vegetables. Rub flour over all sides of beef.
• Heat butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; brown beef on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Add onions, carrots, and 2 cups reserved liquid. Cover Dutch oven, lower heat to medium-low, and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours. Transfer beef to a serving platter.
• Stir gingersnap crumbs and sugar into the liquid in Dutch oven; cook and stir until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over meat.

TRADITIONAL SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Place beef rump roast, onions, vinegar, water, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, sugar, cloves, and bay leaves in a large pot. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days, turning meat daily. Remove meat from marinade and pat dry with paper towels, reserving marinade.
• Season flour to taste with salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Sprinkle flour mixture over beef.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat; cook beef until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Pour reserved marinade over beef, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until beef is tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Remove beef to a platter and slice.
• Strain solids from remaining liquid and continue cooking over medium heat. Add gingersnap cookies and simmer until gravy is thickened about 10 minutes. Serve gravy over sliced beef.

CLASSIC SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Combine first 8 ingredients in large saucepan and bring to boil. Cool.
• Place beef in bowl slightly larger that beef. Pour marinade over. Cover and chill 2 days, turning beef twice daily.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove beef from marinade and place in roasting pan; reserve marinade. Roast beef until tender, about 2 hours. Transfer beef to carving board; cool. Pour any accumulated juices from roasting pan into marinade. Strain marinade (do not clean roasting pan).
• Mix 1/4 cup oil and flour in heavy large skillet. Stir over medium heat until dark brown, about 10 minutes. Gradually mix in 2 cups marinade (discard any remaining marinade) and broth. Boil until thick, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Mix in sugar and cookie crumbs. Pour into roasting pan and place over medium-high heat. Bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Slice beef and arrange in large baking dish. Pour sauce over meat. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill).
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake beef until heated through, about 15 minutes.

RHINELAND SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• Peel and dice onion, carrot and parsnip.
• In a large pot, caramelize 1 tablespoon sugar until light brown, deglaze with vinegar and let simmer for 1 minute.
• Add vegetables, parsley and spices, simmer for 2 more minutes. Add red wine, bring to a boil and simmer about 3 minutes.
• Let cool completely.
• Put chuck roast into marinade (in an airtight container or ziplock bag) and let marinate for 5-6 days in the fridge.
• Remove meat from marinade, pat dry.
• Strain marinade and reserve both liquid and vegetables and spices.
• In a pot, heat clarified butter.
• Salt and pepper chuck roast and dust with flour.
• Sear in hot fat until nicely browned from all sides.
• Remove met from pot, set aside.
• Roast vegetables and spices in the fat for 1 minute, add 1 teaspoon brown sugar, slightly caramelize and deglaze with some marinade.
• Bring to a boil, then add remaining marinade and broth.
• Add meat and crumbled gingerbread, bring to a slow boil, let boil for about 2 hours until meat is tender.
• remove meat from pot and strain sauce through a sieve, press vegetables through the sieve and let the sauce boil for about 10 minutes.
• Add raisins, simmer for 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper and maybe more sugar to taste.
• Put meat back into pot, heat and serve with spaetzle or potato dumplings.
• Enjoy!

WESTPHALIAN SAUERBRATEN

Steps:

• For marinating the roast:.
• Cube onion and carrot, bring to a boil with broth, cloves, laurel leaves, peppercorns and juniper berries. Immediately remove from heat, let cool.
• Mix cold liquid (with vegetables and spices in it) with cider or red wine vinegar, pour over chuck roast and let marinate 4-5 days in the fridge (in a ziplock bag or airtight container).
• After marinating, heat 1-2 tablespoons clarified butter or lard in a large pot, get meat out of the marinade and sear from all sides until browned.
• Add the vegetables from the marinade and sear briefly, too.
• Deglaze with half of the marinade.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add minced garlic.
• Let cook for 1 hour.
• Crumble in the gingerbread and add 4 tablespoons apple butter.
• Let cook for 1 more hour.
• Add some water every now and then, if necessary.
• Add more salt and pepper, if necessary, and thicken the sauce with some cornstarch to taste.
• Serve with potato dumplings and red cabbage.
• Enjoy!