German sauerbraten: beef marinated in vinegar and wine with gingerbread-thickened gravy

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Cook the marinade

   15 min

   Cut the onions into wedges and the carrot and celery root into rounds. Put the water, vinegar, wine, vegetables, bay leaves, cloves, juniper berries, allspice, black peppercorns, and sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool completely.

2. Marinate the beef

   Place the beef in a glass or porcelain bowl just slightly larger than the meat. Pour the cooled marinade over it so it is completely submerged. Cover the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for 3–5 days, turning the meat once a day.

3. Brown the beef

   15 min

   Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Strain the marinade, reserving the vegetables and spices. Season the beef with salt. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and brown the beef on all sides. Add the reserved vegetables and spices and sauté for 5 minutes.

4. Braise

   2 hr 30 min

   Pour in half the marinade, cover, and braise over low heat for 2–2.5 hours, until the beef is tender. Turn the meat occasionally and add the remaining marinade as needed.

5. Make the gravy

   15 min

   Remove the beef, wrap it in aluminum foil, and let it rest. Strain the cooking liquid and vegetables, pressing the vegetables through the strainer back into the gravy. Discard the bay leaves and whole spices. Add the crumbled gingerbread cookies and raisins and simmer, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper; the gravy should be mildly sweet and sour.

6. Serve

   5 min

   Slice the beef across the grain into slices about 1 cm thick and pour the gravy over them. Serve with potato dumplings and braised red cabbage.

Tip: Use a glass, porcelain, or stainless steel container for marinating, as vinegar would react with aluminum. Marinate the meat for at least 3 days; the longer it marinates, the more tender and tangy it becomes.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Šťavnatý nemecký sauerbraten: hovädzie marinované v octe a víne, omáčku zahustí perník