Sauerbraten (Sauerbraten) — German Marinated Pot Roast

• 1.5 kgbeef chuck roast
• 500 mldry red wine
• 250 mlred wine vinegar
• 250 mlwater
• 2large yellow onions (thinly sliced)
• 2carrots (sliced into 1 cm rounds)
• 2celery stalks (sliced)
• 3 leafbay leaves
• 8 gjuniper berries (lightly crushed)
• 6 gblack peppercorns (lightly crushed)
• 6 gmustard seeds
• 6whole cloves
• 4 gallspice berries
• 12 ggranulated sugar
• 18 gfine sea salt
• 30 mlneutral vegetable oil
• 300 mlbeef stock
• 60 ggingersnap cookies (finely crushed)
• 40 graisins
• 2 gfreshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine the red wine, red wine vinegar, water, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, juniper, peppercorns, mustard seeds, cloves, allspice, sugar, and 18 g salt in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil for 3 minutes, then remove it from the heat and cool it completely before it touches the beef.

2. 2

   Place the beef in a deep glass, ceramic, or stainless-steel container and pour the cold marinade over it. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 4 days, turning the meat once every 24 hours so the acid and spices season it evenly.

3. 3

   Remove the beef from the marinade and pat it very dry with paper towels, because wet meat will steam instead of brown. Strain the marinade through a fine sieve, reserving both the liquid and the vegetables separately, and discard the spent bay leaves and whole spices.

4. 4

   Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown the beef on all sides for 10 to 12 minutes total, then transfer it to a plate while keeping the browned bits in the pot.

5. 5

   Add the strained vegetables to the Dutch oven and cook for 6 minutes, stirring often, until they begin to brown at the edges. Pour in 750 ml of the reserved marinade liquid and the beef stock, scraping the bottom of the pot to dissolve the browned bits into the braising liquid.

6. 6

   Return the beef to the pot, cover tightly, and braise in a 160°C oven for 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes. Turn the roast every 45 minutes, and cook until a skewer slides into the center with little resistance.

7. 7

   Transfer the cooked beef to a carving board and tent it loosely with foil for 20 minutes. Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan, pressing firmly on the vegetables to extract their flavor, then skim off excess fat from the surface.

8. 8

   Bring the strained liquid to a gentle simmer and whisk in the crushed gingersnaps until fully dissolved. Add the raisins, 3 g salt, and black pepper, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce is glossy and lightly thickened.

9. 9

   Slice the beef across the grain into 1 cm slices and arrange it on a warm platter. Spoon some sauce over the meat and serve the remaining sauce separately so each portion keeps its tender texture.