A Sunday meal I remember growing up. That sweet and sour, tangy taste and smell you won’t forget. Some have to develop taste buds for it. Sauerbraten can be a big hit a the dinner table, you can’t go wrong cooking for a big crowd.

Name: Tangy Sauerbraten
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 2 LB beef round; Marinade:; 2 stalks celery; 1 large carrot; 1 medium onion; 2 cloves garlic; 2 cloves; 2 bay leaves; 10 peppercorns; 5 juniper berries; Salt; 1 tbsp sugar or honey; 1.5 cups red wine; ¾ cup red wine vinegar; Cook the roast:; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 medium onion, minced; 1 cup beef broth; Optional: 4 tbsp. Raisins; Optional: 4 Gingersnaps

The Sunday classic Sauerbraten is perhaps one of the most famous traditional German dishes. It is top round beef roast that is particularly tender after long hours of marinade. Plan a couple days ahead!

Marinade a top round beef roast
Sauerbraten
Savoy cabbage, Wirsinggemüse with Sauerbraten and potato dumplings (per Wikimedia)
Sauerbraten, potato dumplings and red cabbage (per Wikimedia)

The secret lies in the marinade, consisting of red wine, herbs, spices and of course vinegar. Vinegar breaks down meat fibers, connective tissue and tendons and makes the meat tender. The longer you put the roast in, the more intense it will taste. If you store it in the refrigerator, you can leave it to marinate for several weeks, it penetrates the roast with all its aromas.

Another option if you too busy. No marinating required, just buy the mix here

Tangy Sauerbraten

Rate this recipe

4 ratings

November 6, 2019

by AngiesWeb.com

Cuisine German

Category European Cuisine Germany Main Course Northern Europe Recipes

Ingredients

2 LB beef round
Marinade:
2 stalks celery
1 large carrot
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
2 cloves
2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
5 juniper berries
Salt
1 tbsp sugar or honey
1.5 cups red wine
¾ cup red wine vinegar
Cook the roast:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 cup beef broth
Optional: 4 tbsp. Raisins
Optional: 4 Gingersnaps

Persons

Serving Size

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

2 hours

Total Time

2 hours, 15 minutes

Plan one week ahead, since the meat has to marinade for 4 to 7 days. The recipe asks for Honigkuchen or honey cake. I believe you could use four Gingersnaps at the end. This is optional, instead add more sugar to taste.

Instructions

The beef needs to be marinated a week before the cooking.
For that you need to cut the celery, carrot, onion and garlic in cubes.
Cook the juniper berries, pepper corns, cloves and bay leaves, salt and sugar with the red wine and the red wine vinegar in a pot on medium low heat for 15 minutes.
Let cool.
Cover the beef with the marinate and put everything in a large container for four days to a week in the refrigerator.
It also can be kept in vacuum sealed bag in the refrigerator.
After a week, remove the meat out of the refrigerator and dry it off.
Fry it until lightly brown in a deep pan or Dutch Oven.
Add the cubed onions and fry for 2 minutes or until golden.
Combine the honey with the rest of the marinade and beef broth and add to pot.
Cook the Sauerbraten for 2 hours on medium temperature, turn every half an hour.
Remove the beef. Mix the sauce with a blender or push it through a sieve.
Season to your liking with red wine and salt and pepper

Notes

Serve with potato dumplings or Spätzle, and sweet and sour red cabbage

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Tangy Sauerbraten makes your taste buds happy

A Sunday meal I remember growing up. That sweet and sour, tangy taste and smell you won’t forget. Some have to develop taste buds for it. Sauerbraten can be a big hit a the dinner table, you can’t go wrong cooking for a big crowd.