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Sauerbraten, the most iconic dish of German cuisine, is prepared by slow-cooking beef that has been marinated for several days in a vinegar-based marinade. The result is a tender, aromatic roast served with a rich spiced sauce.
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per serving
Prepare the marinade: In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, bay leaves, cloves, black peppercorns, juniper berries, quartered onions, thickly sliced carrot, celery slices, sugar and salt. Bring to the boil, then allow to cool completely.
Place the beef in a large glass or ceramic dish. Pour the cooled marinade over the meat; the meat must be completely submerged in the liquid. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 3 days. Turn the meat over each day.
On cooking day, remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry thoroughly with kitchen paper. Strain the marinade liquid, reserving the vegetables; keep the liquid.
Heat the oil in a large, deep roasting tin or pressure cooker over a high heat. Sear the meat for approximately 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Set the meat aside.
In the same pan, sauté the marinade vegetables and the finely chopped onion and carrot over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato purée and cook for a further 1 minute.
Add the strained marinade liquid and beef stock to the pan. Return the meat to the liquid. Cover and cook over a low heat (or in a preheated 160°C oven) for 3-3.5 hours. The meat should easily come apart with a fork.
Remove the meat from the pan and wrap in foil to rest for 15 minutes. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve to separate the vegetables. Transfer the strained sauce to a small saucepan.
Bring the sauce to the boil. In a separate pan, melt the butter, add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir this roux into the boiling sauce. Add the finely broken gingerbread and cook over a low heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. The sauce should be smooth and glossy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Slice the rested meat into thick slices. Arrange on a serving platter and drizzle with the hot sauce. Traditionally served with red cabbage and potato dumplings (Kartoffelklöße).
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