Sauerbraten (German pot roast)
Ingredients
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 leek, trimmed, sliced, and rinsed well to remove grit
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 bay leaves
2 cups red wine, (any type you would drink)
2 cups beef broth, or stock
1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp juniper berries
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 cup golden raisins
Pot roast:
3-4 lb chuck roast
olive oil, or other vegetable oil
Gravy:
1/4 cup finely crushed gingersnaps
Directions
Put all the marinade ingredients into a large non-reactive pot such as enameled cast iron (make sure it’s big enough to hold the marinade and meat.) Bring to a boil, then let cool to room temperature.
Submerge the chuck roast into the marinade, and cover tightly. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. If your meat is not fully covered in liquid, plan to give it a turn every day so it marinates evenly. You can also do this in a very large heavy duty zip lock bag.
Remove the meat from the marinade (it will be beautifully pink from the wine) and pat it dry, removing any stray bits of veggie as well. Remove the marinade to a bowl and wipe out the pot. Lightly coat the bottom of the pot with oil and heat until quite hot but not smoking. Brown the meat on all sides.
Add the marinade back into the pot with the meat and bring to a boil. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom as you heat. Now you have a choice: either turn the heat down, cover, and let gently simmer on the stove for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or you can cover and put the pot into a 325F oven for the same amount of time. Note: whichever method you choose, you want the pot to be a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, so adjust heat accordingly. I check it a few times during cooking to make sure.
When the meat is fork tender, carefully remove it to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Strain the contents of the pot and discard the solids. I like to put the liquid into a large saucepan at this point.
Bring it back to a bubble and sprinkle in the crushed gingersnaps, whisking as you add them, so they don’t clump. Simmer until the gravy thickens slightly. Note: if you do get any lumps, just strain the gravy through a mesh sieve before serving.
Slice the meat and serve on a platter topped with gravy. Serve extra gravy on the side.
