Germany Sauerbraten (Sour Roast)
Sauerbraten, or sour roast, is one of Germany’s most iconic dishes. A pungent vinegar marinade infuses the roast with bold flavors while also tenderizing the meat. Legends reportedly link the creation of sauerbraten to great leaders such as Julius Caesar and Charlemagne and their mobile armies that supposedly stored meat in jars of wine to keep it fresh. Red wine vinegar replaces the alcohol as the base of the marinade, but that is only one aspect of the complex favor profile of this savory dish.
Recipe Servings: 6
Prep Time
15 minutes
+ 72 hours resting
+ 72 hours resting
Cook Time
4 hours
Total Time
76 hours 15 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1 cup (240 ml) cider vinegar
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 Tbsp (20 g) salt, more as needed for rub
- ½ tsp (3 g) ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 tsp (6 g) mustard seeds
- 3 lbs (1.3 kg) beef rump roast
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup (65 g) sugar
- 5 oz (140 g) gingersnap cookies, crushed
Directions
- Combine red wine vinegar, cider vinegar, water, onion, carrot, salt, black pepper, bay leaves, cloves, and mustard seeds in a large pot.
- Cover pot, bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes before removing from heat and cooling marinade.
- Rub roast with vegetable oil and sprinkle salt on all sides.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown roast on all sides.
- Place roast in a large container, pour cooled marinade over the top, and let rest in the refrigerator for three to five days. If meat is not completely submerged in marinade, turn once per day.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) once the meat is fully marinated.
- Move roast to a large roasting pan.
- Add sugar to the marinade and pour mixture into the pan.
- Bake roast, covered, for 4 hours.
- Set meat aside to rest and strain liquid into a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Whisk in the crumbled gingersnap cookies and cook until the sauce thickens.
- Strain sauce to remove any solids.
- Slice meat and serve warm with the sauce on the side.
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