Years ago, I visited a German Restaurant in Jasper, Indiana. They serve the most delicious Sauerbraten with Potato Glaze. It is the inspiration for this post. The Schnitzelbank is still serving German food today.
This German dish uses gingersnap cookies to help thicken the sauce.
SAUERBRATEN RECIPE
Serves 6 – 8
Marinade Ingredients:
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 medium onion sliced thinly
- 1 Tablespoon black peppercorns crushed coarsely
- 1 Tablespoon juniper berries
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 4 pounds boneless beef bottom round
Roasting Sauce Ingredients:
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 2-1/2 cups onions, diced
- 2-1/2 cups carrots, diced
- 1-1/4 cups celery, diced
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 3/4 cup gingersnap cookies, crumbled
Directions:
Marinate the Beef
Combine all of the marinade ingredients, excluding the beef roast, in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
Place the beef in a deep glass or ceramic bowl.*
*Don't use a metal or reactive bowl. The high-acid liquids may actually react with the metal in the bowls and give a metallic taste to the foods.
*After a half hour, it was taking too long to cool the marinade. So to expedite the cooling, I set the pan in a bowl with ice and water for a few minutes.
Then, pour the marinade mixture over the beef. It should be at least halfway up the sides of the beef. Add more wine to the marinade if necessary to achieve this.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator for 3 – 7 days. Turn the meat over in the marinade twice a day.
Brown the Beef
Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Strain and reserve the liquid and discard the spices and onions.
Melt the butter in a heavy Dutch oven and brown the beef roast on all sides, turning frequently. Remove to a platter and set aside.
Cooking the Beef
Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery to the pan and drippings. Cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and lightly browned.
Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly until the flour changes color.
Pour in 2 cups of the reserved marinade and 1/2 cup beef broth. Bring to a boil.
Place the roast in the liquid, cover, and cook over low heat for 2 hours. Remove the roast and place on a platter. Cover with aluminum foil. (Alternatively, you can bake in a 350° oven for 2 hours.)
Make The Sauerbraten Sauce
First, pour the liquid in the pot into a large measuring cup. Skim the fat from the surface. Add some of the reserved marinade if the liquid doesn’t measure 2-1/2 cups.
Pour the liquid into a heavy saucepan and add the gingersnap crumbs. Cook and whisk over medium heat for about 10 minutes. The cookie crumbs will dissolve and the mixture will thicken to a velvety sauce.
Adjust the seasoning if needed, and simmer until ready to serve.
Slice the roast, place slices on the plates, and spoon the sauce over the sliced meat. The perfect accompaniments are Bavarian dumplings and red cabbage.
BAVARIAN DUMPLINGS
Cook time: 40 minutes
Makes 8 Dumplings
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 lbs Russet potatoes
- 1 large egg*
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- pepper (to taste)
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp finely chopped parsley (for garnish)
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1. Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Cover and boil the potatoes until easily pierced with a fork. Drain and let cool until comfortable to touch. Peel and press through a potato ricer, over a large bowl.
2. Add egg and starch to the riced potatoes. Then, add the salt and pepper, nutmeg, and mix with your hands until a soft dough forms. (You may need to add an extra yolk or another egg if the mixture is too dry). This comes together so easily and quickly! You’ll be surprised!
3. Divide the dough into 8 portions. Form each piece of dough into a round shape, resembling the size of a peach.
4. Bring 5 quarts of water to boil. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower each dumpling into the boiling water. Work with 2-3 dumplings at a time. Once the dumplings rise to the surface, let them boil for 5-6 more minutes. Remove one by one using a slotted spoon and place on a warmed plate. Proceed with the remaining dumplings. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
To my delight, the family loved this! All of the Sauerbraten, the sauce, and the Bavarian dumplings disappeared.
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Sauerbraten Recipe with Bavarian Dumplings
Ingredients
Sauerbraten Marinade Recipe
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 dup beef broth
- 1 medium onion sliced thinly
- 1 Tablespoon black peppercorns crushed coarsely
- 1 Tablespoon juniper berries
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 4 pounds boneless beef bottom round
Roasting Sauce Ingredients:
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 2-1/2 cups onions, diced
- 2-1/2 cups carrots, diced
- 1-1/4 cups celery, diced
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 3/4 cup gingersnap cookies, crumbled
BAVARIAN DUMPLINGS
- 2 lbs Russet potatoes
- 1 large egg*
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste)
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp finely chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
Marinate the Beef
Combine all of the marinade ingredients, excluding the beef roast, in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
Place the beef in a deep glass or ceramic bowl.*
*Don't use a metal or reactive bowl. The high-acid liquids may actually react with the metal in the bowls and give a metallic taste to the foods.*After a half hour, it was taking too long to cool the marinade. So to expedite the cooling, I set the pan in a bowl with ice and water for a few minutes.
Then, pour the marinade mixture over the beef. It should be at least halfway up the sides of the beef. Add more wine to the marinade if necessary to achieve this.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator for 3 - 7 days. Turn the meat over in the marinade twice a day.
Brown the Beef
Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Strain and reserve the liquid and discard the spices and onions.
Melt the butter in a heavy Dutch oven and brown the beef roast on all sides, turning frequently. Remove to a platter and set aside.
Cooking the Beef
Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery to the pan and drippings. Cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and lightly browned.
Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly until the flour changes color.
Pour in 2 cups of the reserved marinade and 1/2 cup beef broth. Bring to a boil.
Place the roast in the liquid, cover, and cook over low heat for 2 hours. Remove the roast and place on a platter. Cover with aluminum foil. (Alternatively, you can bake in a 350° oven for 2 hours.)
Make The Sauerbraten Sauce
First, pour the liquid in the pot into a large measuring cup. Skim the fat from the surface. Add some of the reserved marinade if the liquid doesn't measure 2-1/2 cups.
Pour the liquid into a heavy saucepan and add the gingersnap crumbs. Cook and whisk over medium heat for about 10 minutes. The cookie crumbs will dissolve and the mixture will thicken to a velvety sauce.
Adjust the seasoning if needed, and simmer until ready to serve.
Slice the roast, place slices on the plates, and spoon the sauce over the sliced meat. The perfect accompaniments are Bavarian dumplings, see the recipe below and red cabbage.
BAVARIAN DUMPLINGS
Cook time: 40 minutes
Makes 8 Dumplings
(We are an Amazon affiliate and may receive a small percentage of any sales through the links in this post at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting this website!)
1. Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Cover and boil the potatoes until easily pierced with a fork. Drain and let cool until comfortable to touch. Peel and press through a potato ricer, over a large bowl.
2. Add egg and starch to the riced potatoes. Then, add the salt and pepper, nutmeg, and mix with your hands until a soft dough forms. (You may need to add an extra yolk or another egg if the mixture is too dry). This comes together so easily and quickly! You'll be surprised!
3. Divide the dough into 8 portions. Form each piece of dough into a round shape, resembling the size of a peach
4. Bring 5 quarts of water to boil. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower each dumpling into the boiling water. Work with 2-3 dumplings at a time. Once the dumplings rise to the surface, let them boil for 5-6 more minutes. Remove one by one using a slotted spoon and place on a warmed plate. Proceed with the remaining dumplings. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
