Sauerbraten
(German-Style Pot Roast)

For the marinade:
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups white-wine vinegar
10 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons peppercorns
2 teaspoons salt
2 cup coarsely chopped carrot
2 onions, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
1 tablespoon sugar

1 4-lb beef bottom round roast
Flour for dredging
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 carrots sliced
2 onions, sliced
1 bay leaf
Five 2-inch gingersnaps, broken into pieces
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Make the marinade: In a large saucepan, combine the wine, the vinegar, 2 cups water, the cloves, the bay leaf, the mustard seeds, the peppercorns, the
salt, the carrot, the onions, and the sugar, bring the liquid to a boil, and let the marinade cool to room temperature.

In a 4-quart ceramic or glass bowl, pour the marinade over the beef and let the beef marinate, covered and chilled, turning it once a day, for 3 to 4
days. Remove the beef from the marinade, pat it dry, and dredge it in the flour, shaking off the excess. Strain the marinade through a fine sieve,
reserving 2 cups of it and discarding the solids.

In an oven-proof kettle, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking. In it brown the beef, and transfer
the beef to a plate. Add to the kettle the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the carrots, and the onions and cook the vegetables over moderately low heat,
stirring until the onions are softened. Add the reserved 2 cups marinade, 1 cup water, and the bay leaf, bring the liquid to a boil, and return beef to
the kettle. Braise the beef, covered in a preheated 325 degree oven, turning it once, for 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours, or until it is tender when pierced
with a fork.

Transfer the beef to a cutting board, discarding the bay leaf, skim the fat from the cooking liquid, and force the cooking liquid and vegetables
through a fine sieve into a large saucepan [alternatively: blend it, in batches, in a blender]. Add the gingersnaps, the tomato paste, and salt and
pepper to taste and simmer the mixture, whisking, for 5 minutes.

Slice the beef across the grain, and arrange the slices on a heated platter. Pour some of the sauce over the beef and serve remaining sauce separately.

Serves: 4 to 6.

I originally found this recipe in an issue of Gourmet magazine quite a number of years ago. Can't recall which issue; but it's without doubt the best
sauerbraten recipe I've ever had, and that includes what I've had at several good German restaurants in our area. Many still don't use the gingersnaps
in the gravy, and that really makes this version to die for.

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