Sauerbraten

Magic Jeff's Note:

A nearly one hundred year-old German-Swedish sauerbraten recipe handed down from my grandmother Jennie. There are literally hundreds of sauerbraten recipes on the internet. I've tried many, but I always return to this one (wouldn't have anything to do with my fondness for my grandma, would it?). It's simple and on the sweet side, but the sugar in the marinade makes for a tender and delectible roast.

• Total Time: 6 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 6 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 ¼ cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon pickling spices (original recipe just says mixed spices )
• 3 -4 juniper berries (optional, my addition)
• 1 onion , chopped
• 2 -4 lbs boneless beef roast (original recipe doesn't specify meat type, but generally any inferior cut works well since it's mari)
• vegetable oil
• 10 ginger snaps (for gravy)

Directions:

1. Bring vinegar, water, spices, and onion to boil. Allow to cool for a half an hour or more. Place beef in a glass or porcelain container sufficient in size to allow the beef to be adequately covered by the marinade. You can add a little more water and vinegar (1:1 ratio) to cover. Pour marinade over the beef, cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 days, turning once a day.
2. Strain vegetables from solution. Reserve solution. Thoroughly brown beef in hot oil, transfer to roasting pan or crock pot and cook in solution like a pot roast.* Remove meat and return a portion of the solution to a pan depending how much gravy you want. Add enough gingersnaps to thicken to a moderately thin gravy.) Slice meat and serve with spaetzels, potato dumplings, or potato pancakes and red cabbage.
3. *Suggestion: cook in a crock-pot on low for 6-8 hours until tender.