Sauerbraten

Sauerbraten(pronounced[ˈzaʊ̯ɐˌbʁaːtn̩]) is a traditional German roast of heavily marinated meat. It is regarded as anational dishofGermany, and is frequently served in German-style restaurants internationally.It can be cooked from a variety of meats, most often frombeef, but also fromchicken,lamb and mutton,porkandhorse.Before cooking, the raw meat ismarinatedfor 5 to 15 days in a mixture of wine or vinegar, water, herbs, spices, and seasonings.  Usually, tougher cuts of meat, such as rump roast or bottom round of beef, are used, and the long marinating tenderizes the meat. A Sauerbraten dinner is almost always accompanied by a hearty gravy resulting from its roasting and is most often served with potato pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer),  potato dumplings (Kartoffelklöße), orSpätzle.
Ingredients used in the marinade, and accompaniments served with sauerbraten, vary across regions. Regional variants of the dish include those fromBaden,Franconia,Thuringia,Rhineland,Saarland,Silesia, andSwabia.
The name "Sauerbraten" is of German origin, and is derived fromSauermeaning "sour" or "pickled" andBratenmeaning "roast meat", thus "sour roast".
Julius Caesarhas been assigned a role in the inspiration for sauerbraten as he sentamphorasfilled with beef marinated in wine over theAlpsto the newly founded Roman colony ofCologne. According to this legend, this inspired the residents of Cologne to imitate the Roman import.While quite common, these claims are largely unsubstantiated.
Several sources believe sauerbraten was invented byCharlemagnein the 9th century AD as a means of using leftover roasted meat.Saint Albertus Magnus, also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, is also credited with popularizing the dish in the 13th century.
Horse meat was not originally used for the dish, although it has become commonly used in restaurants in theRhineland. Most other areas in which the dish is found currently use beef.
There are many regional variants of sauerbraten.  Many of the variations are in the ingredients used for the marinade in which the cut of meat is immersed for several days before cooking.
Generally, the marinade's base is eitherred wine, vinegar, or a combination of both. While Germany largely produceswhite winessuch asRieslingandGewürztraminer, regions of Germany that are closer to France often usered wineas the base for the marinade.Wine vinegar,apple cider vinegarand other varieties can be used as a base. Recipes from eastern regions of Germany closer to Poland and the Czech Republic tend to use vinegar as the base more frequently. In many regions, wine and vinegar are used together.
Sauerbraten can be made with many different kinds of roasting meat.  Tougher, less expensive cuts of meat are used—typically a rump roast or bottom round of beef.
Venisonor other game is often prepared as sauerbraten as the spices and vinegar take away the gamey taste of the meat.
A solid cut from the bottomroundor rump is marinated for three or four days,or as many as ten,before cooking.
Red wine vinegar and wine typically form the basis of the marinade, which also includes earthy aromatic spices such aspeppercorns,juniper berries,cloves,nutmeg, andbay leavesand less commonlycoriander,mustard seed,cinnamon,mace,ginger, andthyme.The marinade may also include vegetables such as onions, celery, and carrots.The acidic marinade helps tenderize the meat before it cooks.Buttermilkis also used as a marinade in certain regional varieties.It is frequently advised to marinate the meat in anearthenware, glass, plastic, orenamelcontainer rather than one made of bare metal, as the acidic marinade would react with a metal vessel during the extended marinating.
After the meat is removed from the marinade and dried, it is first browned in oil or lard and thenbraisedwith 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 crushedgingerbread,lebkuchen—in particularAachener Printen—orgingersnaps, flour, sour cream, brown sugar, and/orroux)which add body and flavor to the sauce. Before it closed in 1982,Lüchow'sGerman restaurant inNew York Cityused crushed gingersnap cookies to season and thicken the gravy of its sauerbraten, one of the favored dishes.This style was made popular in the U.S. after the publication ofLuchow's German Cookbook: The Story and the Favorite Dishes of America's Most Famous German Restaurantby Jan Mitchell in 1952.
Packaged sauerbraten seasonings are available. Cooked sauerbraten in marinade is sold in some supermarkets.
While sauerbraten is most traditionally eaten with beer,it pairs well with the following wine varietals:Burgundy,Cabernet Franc,Cabernet Sauvignon,Gewürztraminer,Pinot noir,Riesling, andSyrah.