Sauerbraten Recipe

This tasty Sauerbraten is made using a traditional Sauerbraten recipe with a twist and a secret ingredient from Oma! Tender, flavorful, simple to make, and totally delicious, this fabulous roast starts with a fantastic marinade. Your friends and family will be asking for more!

Sauerbraten Recipe

Sauerbraten is a classic German recipe that takes a few days to prepare properly, although there is not much work to it. The flavor comes from the easy to make marinade and delicious gravy.

While some of the ingredients might seem strange, I promise you they come together wonderfully for a perfect combination of flavors. Traditionally, just the vinegar is used in Sauerbraten, however, the lemon adds a terrific flavor! You will be hooked and the three days of marinating will all be worth it once you take that first bite.

This word is popularly and roughly pronounced “sour-brawten.” Of course, this is not quite the German way to say it, but it is an easy version of the word. The most prominent aspect of this recipe is the long marinating time and the seemingly peculiar ingredients. However, Sauerbraten is a classic recipe and meat preparation for a reason. This is simply delicious.

How to Make Sauerbraten

1. Marinate the meat – Mix the marinade. Place the meat in a baggie, pour the marinade over the meat. Place the meat in a shallow pan. Place in the fridge for 72 hours. Rotate meat once a day.
2. Brown the meat – Pat the meat dry and strain the marinade. Set aside. Brown the meat on all sides in oil. Drain off excess fat.
3. Simmer ingredients – In a Dutch oven, place meat, strained marinade, onion, carrot, and celery. Simmer for 2 hours.
4. Puree vegetables – Remove meat. Leave the vegetables and two cups of liquid. Puree vegetables in a blender. Stir in the gingersnaps and ⅔ cups water. Simmer until thickened.
5. Serve – Serve the vegetable mixture with a hunk of the meat. Enjoy!

Tips and variations for making this Sauerbraten recipe:

● Storage – Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Keep in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for up to 2 months.
● Reheating – Let thaw on its own from the freezer before heating. Reheat from the freezer or fridge using the microwave. You can use a moist paper towel laid over the meat to help keep it from drying out.
● Use bacon grease – Since this recipe was passed down from a German farm girl, reserved bacon grease would have been used to brown the meat. This will give it a ton more flavor as well.
● Serve with spätzle (spaetzle, snöpfle, spätzli) – This is a great dish for serving with spätzle, a popular and delicious German “noodle” dish.
● Add more veggies – If preferred, you can add more vegetables or potatoes. This will make the dish heartier and flavorful.
● Make it spicy – If you want to give this classic dish a kick, add in some crushed red pepper or a diced jalapeño peppers. Pickled jalapeños would work as well. You can also add paprika to the marinade as well if you like that. Just know these changes could change the flavor profile.
● Why use gingersnaps? – A gingersnap cookie works well as a thickening agent for the gravy while adding that perfect level of sweetness and spice. Yes, I know it sounds strange, but if you have ever added coke to meat while you were cooking, you will understand how the gingersnaps can change the flavor and complexity of the gravy.
● Gingersnap substitute – There are not many options for replacing gingersnaps since they have such a unique flavor profile perfect for making this meal. However, if need be, graham crackers might be an acceptable substitute (keep in mind I have not tried it, it is simply a suggestion).
● Rump roast substitute – If you cannot get your hands on a rump roast, you can choose a different roast cut. Some people have used a pork roast with this marinade. Although better with the original beef rump roast, the pork would be a unique substitute.

Common Questions About Sauerbraten

Where is Sauerbraten from in Germany?

Since this is a popular dish throughout Germany, and due to its age, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly where the dish originally began. It was first popularized by Charles the first, also known as Charles the Great or Charlemagne. Historians have rumored that it was invented in the 9th century AD around the rule of Charles the first. Around the 13th century, the dish would become even more well-known via Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne. It was a wonderful, tasty way to preserve and make a beef roast.

What Goes with Sauerbraten?

Whatever you serve with your family’s traditional beef dishes will also go great with this classic German dish. For example, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes, any veggie dishes, salads, etc. all work well as a side. This Pennsylvania red cabbage recipe is a perfect complement to the sauerbraten.

What Does Sauerbraten Taste Like?

If you have had pot roast before, it is similar to that, except with a thick and tangy gravy. It has a unique flavor. Every Oma has her own special spin on the family sauerbraten recipe. The gravy is made from pureeing the veggies that were simmered with the meat. The gingersnaps are what help thicken the gravy and give it that slight sweetness.

Sauerbraten Recipe Ingredients:

Sauerbraten Marinade Ingedients:

● 1½ cups Water
● 1½ cups Red Wine Vinegar
● 2 medium Onions, sliced;
● 1 Lemon, sliced;
● 12 Whole Cloves;
● 6 Whole Black Peppercorns, crushed
● 4 Bay Leaves, crushed
● 1 TBSP Sugar
● 1 TBSP Salt
● ¼ tsp Ground Ginger

Remaining Ingredients:

● 1 4-pound Boneless Beef Round Rump Roast
● 2 TBSP Cooking Oil
● ½ cup chopped Onion
● ½ cup chopped Carrot
● ¼ cup chopped Celery
● 1 cup crushed Gingersnaps

Sauerbraten Mise en Place:

● Measuring Cup
● Measuring Spoons
● Bowl
● Plastic Bag
● Large Saucepan or Dutch Oven
● Spoon
● Blender or Stick Blender (optional)

Sauerbraten Recipe Directions:

1. Prepare marinade by combining all the marinade ingredients (water, red wine vinegar, onions, lemon, cloves, black peppercorns, bay leaves, sugar, salt, and ground ginger) in a bowl.

2. Place meat in a plastic bag; set in a shallow pan.

3. Pour the marinade over meat; close bag. Refrigerate 72 hours, turning meat occasionally (I simply lift the bag and turn it over while inside the bag, when I open the fridge).

4. Remove meat; pat excess moisture from the meat.
5. Strain marinade; set aside liquid for later use.

6. In a Dutch oven brown meat on all sides in hot cooking oil.
7. Drain off fat.

8. Add reserved marinade, chopped onion, carrot, and celery.

9. Cover; simmer about 2 hours or until meat is tender.
10. Transfer meat to a platter, keep warm.

11. Reserve 2 cups of the cooked liquid and vegetables in a Dutch oven (you can put this in a blender or use a stick blender first to puree the vegetables if you do not want them chunky in the gravy).

12. Stir in gingersnaps and 2/3 cup water to the reserved liquid and vegetables.

13. Cook the gravy and stir until thickened and bubbly.

14. Serve the gravy with the meat.

Yield: 4lb

Sauerbraten Recipe

Print

Sauerbraten marinade, meat and gravy recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Additional Time 3 days

Total Time 3 days 3 hours

Ingredients

• Marinade:
• 1½ cups Water
• 1½ cups Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 medium Onions, sliced;
• 1 Lemon, sliced;
• 12 Whole Cloves;
• 6 Whole Black Peppercorns, crushed
• 4 Bay Leaves, crushed
• 1 TBSP Sugar
• 1 TBSP Salt
• ¼ tsp Ground Ginger
• Remaining Ingredients:
• 1 4-pound Boneless Beef Round Rump Roast
• 2 TBSP Cooking Oil
• ½ cup chopped Onion
• ½ cup chopped Carrot
• ¼ cup chopped Celery
• 1 cup crushed Gingersnaps

Instructions

1. Prepare marinade by combining all the marinade ingredients (water, red wine vinegar, onions, lemon, cloves, black peppercorns, bay leaves, sugar, salt, and ground ginger) in a bowl.
2. Place meat in a plastic bag; set in a shallow pan.
3. Pour the marinade over meat; close bag. Refrigerate 72 hours, turning meat occasionally (I simply lift the bag and turn it over when I open the fridge).
4. Remove meat; pat excess moisture from the meat.
5. Strain marinade; set aside liquid for later use.
6. In a Dutch oven brown meat on all sides in hot cooking oil.
7. Drain off fat.
8. Add reserved marinade, chopped onion, carrot, and celery.
9. Cover; simmer for about 2 hours or until meat is tender.
10. Transfer meat to a platter, keep warm.
11. Reserve 2 cups of the cooked liquid and vegetables in a Dutch oven (you can put this in a blender or use a stick blender first to puree the vegetables if you do not want them chunky in the gravy).
12. Stir in gingersnaps and 2/3 cup water to the reserved liquid and vegetables.
13. Cook the gravy and stir until thickened and bubbly.
14. Serve the gravy with the meat.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 584Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 786mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 44g

Note: for exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information provided is simply a guideline.

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