cw (06/19/82)
Sauerbraten
Ingredients for Marinade
5 lb top or bottom round roast of beef
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups water
2 large sliced onions
6 carrots peeled and sliced
4 peeled shallots
8 peppercorns
6 whole cloves
3 halved bay leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp mustard seed
1-3 sprigs parsley (optional)
Method
Begin four days before you intend to serve the sauerbraten.
Make sure the roast is well tied as it will be cooked quite
a lot before it is done.
Combine all the ingredients above except the meat in a pot,
bring to a boil, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Take off
heat and let cool. Pour over meat in a bowl, cover well,
and refrigerate for four days. Turn the meat at least once
a day to make sure that all parts are well marinated. When
you are ready to cook, remove the meat from the marinade,
drain the roast, and dry the meat with paper towels. Strain
the vegetables and spices from the marinade, save the
marinade, and discard the vegetables.
Ingredients for Cooking Meat
2 Tbl flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 large sliced onion
6 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
3 cups marinade
Method
Mix the flour and salt and coat all sides of the meat with
the mixture. In a large casserole or Dutch oven, heat the
oil. Add the meat and brown all sides over medium heat;
this will take about 20 minutes. Remove meat and pour all
the fat off the pan. Return meat to pan and add all the
other ingredients. Cover and simmer until meat is almost
tender, about three hours. Remove the meat from the pan and
strain the marinade, taking all solids from the marinade.
Return meat and strained marinade to pan.
Ingredients for Gravy
3 Tbl flour
2 Tbl butter
2 Tbl sugar
1/3 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs
Method
In a small skillet, melt the butter. Stir in the sugar and
the flour. Cook, stirring, over a low heat until the
mixture is a rich golden-brown color. Stir this mixture
into the marinade with the meat, cover, and continue
simmering the meat for about one more hour.
Remove meat to a heated platter. Stir gingersnap crumbs
into the gravy and cook for 2-3 minutes until the gravy is
smooth and thickened. Salt and pepper gravy to taste.
Slice meat and serve with gravy.
Notes
This recipe seems long-winded, but actually is quite easy
and fool-proof. The only problem is getting the butter-
flour-sugar mixture to cook properly. Most of the work is
done ahead of serving time so that an elaborate side dish
may be prepared to accompany the meat. Potato pancakes are
traditional.
Gingersnap crumbs are absolutely necessary for the gravy.
Use commercial gingersnap cookies and crush with a rolling
pin between sheets of waxed paper; you might also use a food
processor or a blender. Give the rest of the cookies to the
neighborhood kids.