Sauerbraten

Method

1. Grind the allspice, juniper, cloves, and peppercorns. Rinse the beef and pat it dry.
2. In a large zip-top bag, combine the beef with the ground spices, garlic, carrots, onion, celery, leek, bay, thyme, wine, vinegar, and brown sugar. Press out the air, seal, set the bag in a bowl, and refrigerate 3 to 5 days. Longer means more tender and more flavorful.
3. Heat the oven to 160°C. Lift out the meat and pat it dry. Strain the marinade, keeping both the liquid and the vegetables.
4. In a heavy oven-safe pot, heat the butter and oil and sear the beef on all sides. Move it to a plate.
5. Add the strained vegetables and cook about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
6. Return the meat. Add the bread heel, then pour in equal parts beef broth and reserved marinade until the roast is about two thirds covered. Cover and braise in the oven about 2 hours, rotating the meat halfway and topping up liquid as needed, until tender but not falling apart.
7. Rest the meat under foil for 15 minutes, then slice against the grain about 1 cm thick.
8. Strain the sauce back into the pot, add the raisins, and simmer 15 minutes. Whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water, stir it in, and cook 1 to 2 minutes until glossy. Season with salt, pepper, and a little more brown sugar to taste. Return the meat to the sauce.

Notes

• Quick marinade: heat the wine and vinegar to 93°C before adding them to the bag. This cuts the marinade time to 1 to 2 days.
• Lean cuts like rump are traditional. Top round or arm roast also work. Ask your butcher ahead.
• The bread heel and raisins are old-school thickeners and sweeteners. Do not skip them.
• The long marinade is the whole point, so plan ahead.
• Taste the finished sauce and adjust the sweet-sour balance at the end, the way it is done in German home kitchens.

Sources consulted

• Dirndl Kitchen: Authentic Sauerbraten Recipe

Good with

• Käse Spätzle
• Schwäbischer Salatteller

From Christoph Mayer