German Sauerbraten Recipe

Traditional German Sauerbraten is a marinated beef roast that's braised until perfectly tender and served with a silky, slightly sour sauce.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 cups red wine (e.g., Merlot)
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 cups water
• 2 medium onions
• 2 carrots
• 1/2 large celery root (or 1 small or parsley root)
• 8 juniper berries
• 5 allspice berries
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 pound beef roast (chuck, rump, or bottom roast)
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper (to season the meat)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (e.g., avocado oil)
• 1 teaspoon German gingerbread spice (see notes)
• 1 slice German bread (optional)
• cornstarch (as needed)
• honey (to taste)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Prepare the marinade: In a large enough pot, combine red wine, vinegar, and water. Peel the vegetables and cut them into rough, 1-inch chunks. Add them to the pot along with the spices, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Then let the marinade cool completely to room temperature.
2. 2Marinate the beef: Wash the meat and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the roast inside a large freezer bag (or non-reactive container with a lid) and pour the cooled marinade over it. Seal and refrigerate it for 3-5 days, turning the bag occasionally.
3. 3Prep for roasting: Remove the meat from the fridge and take it out of the marinade 30 minutes before cooking. Pat it dry with paper towels. Pour the marinade through a sieve into a bowl, reserving both the liquid and the vegetables/spices mixture separately, but discard the bay leaves.
4. 4Sear: Preheat your oven to 320°F (160°C). Season the roast all over with pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides until nicely browned.
5. 5Braise: Add the reserved vegetables to the pot and sauté for 1 more minute. Pour in the reserved marinade; the meat should be mostly submerged. Bring to a boil on the stovetop. Once boiling, cover with the lid and transfer it to the middle rack of your preheated oven. Cook for 2 hours.
6. 6Add flavorings: After 2 hours, add the gingerbread spice and turn the roast. Cover and cook for 1 more hour.
7. 7Finish the gravy: Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the roast to a cutting board to rest. Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Press down on the vegetables with a spoon to extract all the flavor, then discard the solids.
8. 8Thicken and serve: Pour the liquid back into the Dutch oven, crumble the bread into the pot if you're using it, and bring the sauce to a gentle boil on the stovetop for about 5 minutes to reduce. Puree the sauce with an immersion blender to incorporate the bread for a smooth sauce. If you don't want to use bread, mix a little cornstarch with cold water and whisk into the sauce, as needed. Taste and add a little bit of honey if the sauce is too sour. Slice the meat, return it to the hot gravy, and serve with spaetzle or potato dumplings and Blaukraut.