Sauerbraten (German: sauer 'sour' i.e. pickled + Braten, roast meat)[1] is a German pot roast, usually of beef (but other meats such as venison, lamb, mutton, pork, and horse are sometimes used),[2][3][4] marinated before cooking in a mixture of vinegar, water, spices and seasonings. Sauerbraten is traditionally served with red cabbage, potato dumplings (Kartoffelklöße), Spätzle, boiled potatoes, or pasta.[5][6] While many German-style restaurants in America pair potato pancakes with sauerbraten, this is common only in a small part of Germany.[7]
Sauerbraten has been described as one of the national dishes of Germany.[8] Sauerbraten is one of the best known German dishes and several regions boast local versions including: Franconia, Rhineland, Saarland, Silesia, and Swabia.[2] Regional variations of sauerbraten differ in the ingredients of their marinade, gravy, and traditional accompaniments.
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A solid cut from the bottom round[9] or rump is marinated for three or four days,[10] or as many as 10,[11] before cooking.
Red wine vinegar, wine, and/or water typically forms the basis of the marinade, which also includes earthy aromatic spices such as peppercorns, juniper berries, cloves, nutmeg, and bay leaves and less commonly coriander, mustard seed, cinnamon, mace, ginger, and thyme.[3][12][13] The marinade may also include vegetables such as onions, celery, and carrots.[10] The acidic marinade helps tenderize the meat (which is typically a tougher cut) before it cooks. Buttermilk is also used as a marinade in certain regional varieties.[7][14]
It is frequently advised to marinate the meat in an earthenware, glass, plastic, or enamel container rather than one made of metal, so the acidic marinade does not react with the vessel during the extended marinating process.
After the meat is removed from the marinade and dried, it is first browned in oil or lard and then braised with the strained marinade in a covered dish in a medium oven or on the stovetop. After simmering for four hours or more, depending on the size of the roast, the marinade will continue to flavor the roast, and as the meat cooks, its juices will also be released resulting in a very tender roast.
After the roast is cooked, the marinade is strained and returned to a saucepan where it is thickened (often with crushed gingerbread, lebkuchen, or gingersnaps, flour, sour cream, brown sugar, and/or roux)[3][15] which brings both body and flavor to the sauce. Before it closed its doors in 1982, Luchow's famous German restaurant in New York City used crushed gingersnap cookies to season and thicken the gravy of its sauerbraten, one of the favored dishes.[7][16] This style was made popular in the U.S. after the publication of “Luchow's German Cookbook: The Story and the Favorite Dishes of America's Most Famous German Restaurant” by Jan Mitchell in 1952.[10] In the popular Rhineland version (Rheinischer Sauerbraten), sugar and raisins are added to the gravy to give the dish some countering sweetness.[17]
Venison or other game are often prepared as sauerbraten as the spices and vinegar take away the "wild" taste of the meat.[18]
Sauerbraten can be made with any of kind of roasting meat.
Sauerbraten was originally made with horse meat but today it is almost always made with beef[3][19] The town of Eschweiler, Germany has a long horse butcher tradition, and sauerbraten is one of its culinary specialities.
Several sources believe sauerbraten was invented by Charlemagne in the ninth century AD as a means of using leftover roasted meat.[18][20] Saint Albertus Magnus, also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, is also credited with popularizing the dish in the thirteenth century.[21] Julius Caesar has been assigned a role in the inspiration for sauerbraten as he purportedly sent amphoras filled with beef marinated in wine over the Alps to the newly founded Roman colony of Cologne. According to this legend, this inspired the residents of Cologne to imitate the Roman import.[17] While quite common, these claims are largely unsubstantiated.
Sauerbraten seasonings are available in pre-made packets from Unilever as Knorr Sauerbraten (Pot Roast) recipe mix[22] and from Alba Gewürze GmbH & Co. KG.[23]
While sauerbraten is most traditionally eaten with beer,[24] it does pair well with the following wine varietals: Burgundy,[25] Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Shiraz.[26]
Sauerbraten was a staple at Luchow's German restaurant in New York City (1882–1982).