European · Dinner · Lunch
Sauerbraten
Lean beef marinated for at least a day in a spiced wine and vinegar bath, then braised slowly until tender and served with a sweet-sour gingersnap and raisin gravy. It is a lighter take on the German Sunday classic, with a trimmed lean cut and only a spoonful of oil.
- Prep
- 1,470 min
- Cook
- 190 min
- Total
- 1,660 min
- Serves
- 6
Calories come from: Carbs 21% · Fat 28% · Protein 51%
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Ingredients
For 6 servings- 1 kg (2.2 lb) pieceLean beef bottom round roast, trimmed
- 1 cup239 gRed wine vinegar
- 1 cup235 gDry red wine
- 2 cups480 gWater
- 2 medium220 gOnions, sliced
- 2 medium120 gCarrots, chopped
- 1 stalk40 gCelery, chopped
- 3 leavesBay leaves
- 6 berriesJuniper berries, lightly crushed
- 4 clovesWhole cloves
- 1 tspBlack peppercorns
- 1 tspMustard seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp9 gSalt
- 1 tbsp14 gRapeseed (canola) oil
- 4 biscuits28 gGingersnap biscuits, crumbled
- 1/4 cup36 gRaisins
Steps
- 1
Put the vinegar, wine, water, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, juniper, cloves, peppercorns, mustard seeds and salt in a saucepan.
- 2
Bring the marinade to a simmer for 5 minutes, then let it cool completely.
- 3
Trim any visible fat from the beef and place it in a snug glass dish or large zip bag.
- 4
Pour the cooled marinade over the beef, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours (up to 3 days), turning the meat a few times.
- 5
Lift the beef out and pat it dry with paper towels.
- 6
Strain the marinade, keeping the liquid and the vegetables and spices separately.
- 7
Heat the oil in a heavy casserole over medium-high heat and brown the beef on all sides, about 10 minutes.
- 8
Add the strained vegetables and spices and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
- 9
Pour in the reserved marinade liquid and bring to a simmer.
- 10
Cover, turn the heat to low and braise gently for about 2 1/2 hours, turning the beef halfway, until fork-tender.
- 11
Transfer the beef to a board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes.
- 12
Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan, pressing the soft vegetables through the sieve, and discard the spices; skim off any fat from the surface.
- 13
Stir the crumbled gingersnaps and raisins into the liquid and simmer, whisking, for 8-10 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened.
- 14
Slice the beef thinly across the grain and serve with the gravy spooned over.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use beef or vegetable stock with an extra splash of vinegar instead of the red wine if you prefer to cook without alcohol.
- Swap the gingersnaps for gluten-free ginger biscuits labelled gluten-free, and check that your other packaged ingredients are labelled gluten-free too, for a gluten-free gravy.
- Use beef chuck instead of bottom round for a richer, more forgiving braise, though it carries more fat.
- Leave out the raisins and add a grated apple to the gravy if you want a fruity sweetness without dried fruit.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover beef and gravy in covered containers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating gently until steaming hot. The sliced beef in its gravy can be frozen for up to 2 to 3 months; thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Make ahead
The beef needs to marinate in the fridge for 1 to 3 days, so start it well in advance. You can also braise it a day ahead, chill it in its liquid, lift off the set fat, then slice and finish the gravy before serving.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: GlutenCeleryMustardSulphites
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (405 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 340 kcal | 84 kcal |
| Protein | 38.3 g | 9.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15.5 g | 3.8 g |
| of which sugars | 7.7 g | 1.9 g |
| Fiber | 1.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Fat | 9.2 g | 2.3 g |
| of which saturated | 2.4 g | 0.6 g |
| Sodium | 742 mg | 183 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
