Sauerbraten Lüchow’s

You will also need:

1. A large earthenware or glass bowl.
2. A colander.
3. A second large mixing bowl.
4. A wide, heavy-bottomed pan for searing the meat and making the sauce.
5. A Dutch oven or other deep ovenproof casserole with a lid.
6. A whisk or wooden spoon.

A timing note: The meat marinates, refrigerated, for 4 days and is cooked on the 5th day.

Making the Sauerbraten:

1. Rub the meat with the Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper.
2. Put the meat into the earthenware or glass bowl, along with the onions, carrot, celery, cloves, peppercorns, vinegar, wine, bay leaves and about 5 cups of water, or enough so that the marinade covers the meat.
3. Cover the bowl and marinate the roast for 4 days in the refrigerator.
4. On the 5th day, remove the meat from the marinade and strain the marinade through a colander placed over a mixing bowl. Set the strained marinade aside. Discard the vegetables, herbs and spices collected in the colander.
5. Preheat the oven to 300 F.
6. Heat the goose (or other cooking) fat and 1 tablespoon of butter in a heavy pan over medium heat and sear the roast on all sides. Transfer the meat to a Dutch oven or deep casserole. Pour the strained marinade into the pan in which the meat was seared and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil and pour it over the meat in the Dutch oven or casserole.
7. Put the Dutch oven over medium heat and bring the liquid back to a simmer. Then cover the Dutch oven and put it into the preheated oven. Braise the Sauerbraten for about 3-4 hours, or until the roast is tender.
8. Then remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Transfer the meat from the Dutch oven to a platter and cover it with foil to keep it warm while making the sauce.
9. Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a heavy pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and, as soon as it is combined with the butter, add the sugar. Cook, stirring with a whisk or wooden spoon, over medium heat, until the mixture is a deep, golden brown.
10. Slowly add the reserved marinade, stirring to combine it with the brown roux. Simmer the sauce, still stirring, until it is smooth. Then, thicken the sauce with the pulverized gingersnaps. Add a few tablespoons of gingersnaps at a time, as you continue to stir and simmer the sauce. Add up to 1/2 cup, or less, if you prefer a thinner sauce.
11. Slice the meat. Arrange several slices on each plate and spoon some sauce over each plate of Sauerbraten. Serve the rest of the sauce at the side for guests to add, if they like. There will be plenty of sauce.

An acknowledgement: This version of Sauerbraten is adapted from one in ‘Lüchow’s German Cookbook: The story and the favorite dishes of America’s most famous German restaurant’. Links to online versions of this cookbook are on the related link.