Add the liquid that you strained from the vegetable marinade, bring it to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.Īdd the raisins, honey and crushed ginger snaps. Stir in the flour, cooking the mixture for a minute or two to eliminate the flour flavor. Place the strained vegetables in the pot (along with the bacon if using) and cook for 5-7 minutes. Leave about 2 tablespoons of the oil/fat in the pot. If using bacon, fry the bacon until done. Rinse the pot out and heat a tablespoon or two of oil in it over high heat. Remove the roast and strain the liquid from the vegetables. (Traditionally, the marinating time is as long as 2 weeks!) Unless the meat is completely submerged under the liquid, turn the roast over once every day. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 4 days, preferably 7. Nestle the roast in the vegetable marinade and place the lid on the pot. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down completely. Add the red wine, red wine vinegar and water.īring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Place all of the veggies and herbs in a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven along with the garlic, juniper berries, whole cloves, bay leaves, salt, sugar and peppercorns. Let the meat marinate fully and then reap the rewards for your patience! Don’t cut corners by shortening the marinating time. Sauerbraten is a dish that definitely requires some advance planning as the roast has to marinate for about a week before it’s ready to cook. It has been one of Germany’s most popular dishes for generations and as such has become one of its official national dishes.īeautiful Berchtesgaden in Bavaria, a favorite family vacation spot while growing up in the Swabia region of Southern Germany. This quintessential German dish is found on the menus of many German restaurants both in and outside of Germany. Sometimes it’s also made with venison or lamb. Originally the dish was most commonly made with horse and there are a few restaurants that still serve it, but today it’s primarily made with beef. Saint Albert the Great of Cologne was later credited with having popularized the recipe in the 13th century. The origin of Sauerbraten has been ascribed to Julius Caesar who is documented as having sent beef marinated in wine all the way from Rome to the new Roman colony of Cologne. The addition of ginger snaps also serves to thicken the gravy. There is always the addition of a sweet ingredient to balance the acidity and sourness of the sauce and some regions do this by adding ginger snap cookies, raisins, sugar, honey or sugar beet syrup (or often a combination of them) to achieve that balance. Some regions use just vinegar, some just wine and others use a combination of both, which is the most common. Sauerbraten recipes vary by region, each adding their own touches.

Wherever we went it was made a little differently, but always delicious. It was also a dish we loved to order at restaurants. Both my German mother and my Oma would make it served with Rotkohl, Knödle and potatoes, sometimes Spätzle, and it was a memorable feast every time. Growing up in southern Germany until my mid-20’s, Sauerbraten was a dish I always looked forward to.

One of Germany’s national dishes, this authentic German Sauerbraten is marinated, cooked until tender, and served with a wonderfully rich and flavorful sweet-tangy gravy! Serve it with homemade Rotkohl and potatoes, Knödel or Spätzle and you’re all set for a memorable feast!

Sauerbraten marinade time