Project Sauerbraten

Ever since we ate at Gasthaus I have been craving sauerbraten. Whenever I get cravings for a certain food I know that I must learn the recipe.

Sauerbraten has quite a history. It is traditionally made from horse meat but I think I'll substitute beef.

It depends on the part of Germany but sauerbraten is usually meat marinated in a vinegar and spice mix for three to five days. The sauerbraten served at Gasthaus is marinated for a week.

I finally found a good german cookbook. Strangely enough it is called The German Cookbook. This particular recipe is from the Rhineland and is a little sweeter. The only ingredient that might be somewhat confusing is the pickling spice. I think pretty much every grocery store will have this somewhere. If not you can always make your own. A google search reveals a lot of options.

Rheinischer Sauerbraten

Marinating the beef:

5 pound rump roast
bacon grease
salt
3 cups white vinegar
3 cups water
1 onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
8 cloves
8 peppercorns
1 T pickling spices
1 carrot, shredded

Take the roast and rub it down with bacon grease and sprinkle with salt. Place in a bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature and pour over the beef. The marinade should completely cover the beef. If it doesn't then add equal amounts of vinegar and water until the beef is completely covered. Cover the bowl tightly and marinate for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Turn the meat twice a day while it is marinating. I will include the instructions for baking and gravy in the next post.