Traditional Sauerbraten
(from teacherrap’s recipe box)
Source: "The Cooking of Germany" by Nika Standen Hazelton (from RecipeThing user brus25)
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. dry red wine
- 1/2 c. red wine vinegar
- 2 c. water, cold
- 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 5 black peppercorns
- 4 juniper berries, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. salt
- 4 lbs. boneless beef roast
- 3 Tbsp. lard
- 1/2 c. onions, chopped
- 1/2 c. carrots, chopped
- 1/4 c. celery, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- 1/2 c. water
- 1/2 gingersnaps, crumbled
Directions
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In a 2-3 qt. saucepan, cimbine wine, vinegar water, sliced onion, peppercorns, juniper berries, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil. Once to a boil, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
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Place beef in crockpot. Pour in above marinade. Marinade should come at least halfway up. Add more wine if necessary. Turn meat over to moisten.
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Place crockpot in refridgerator for 2-3 days. Turn meat at least twice a day.
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Remove meat from marinade and dry with paper towels.
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Strain marinade and keep keep liquid. Trash spices and onions.
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In skillet, melt lard over high heat until it begins to splutter. Add meat and brown on all sides for roughly 15 minutes. Remove meat and pour off all but 2 Tbsp. of fat.
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Add carrots, onions, and celery to fat in skillet over moderate heat for 5-8 minutes or until vegetables begin to brown.
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Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook for 2-3 mintues or until flour begins to color.
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Pour 2 c. of marinade and 1/2 c. water and bring to boil over high heat in skillet.
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. Take skillet and meat and add to crockpot and simmer for 2 hours or until meat doesn’t show resistance when pierced with a fork.
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. Remove meat from crockpot. Strain vegetables from liquid and set aside. Strain fat from liquid and discard fat.
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. Add gingersnaps to liquid and cook over moderate heat for about 10 minutes. You need about 2 1/2 c. of liquid. If too much, boil off. If not enough, add use reserved marinade. When finished, strain as much liquid as possible and keep paste.