Oven-Ready Sauerbraten

I found this recipe in a cookbook - it's a traditional German dish.  I think you will find the ingredients simple and the flavors interesting.


Ingredients:

2 lbs. stew beef
1 large onion, quartered
¼ c. canola oil (for browning)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
½ c. flour
3 c. cider vinegar
3 c. beef broth
1 tsp. pickling spices, tied into a pouch
20 ginger snaps

                                       

In a plastic Ziploc bag, add flour, salt and pepper, and beef cubes and shake to coat.

 

In a large Dutch oven, add canola oil.  Heat until the oil is sizzling.  Slowly add the beef cubes, making sure most of the flour has been dusted off the meat.  When adding to hot oil, making sure not to add too many beef cubes at once, as this will cause your oil to cool and beef will not sear properly.  Cook in batches, removing to a bowl, until all cubes have been browned.

Add quartered onion to hot oil and sear until the onion is caramelized.

 

 

Return beef to pot and add beef broth and vinegar, pickling spice pouch.


Preheat oven to 325º and place covered pot into the oven for 2½ hours.

 

Remove pot from oven and remove 3 cups of drippings from the pot, using a ladle or baster.  Strain drippings using a sieve and place in a small saucepan.  Add ginger snaps to the saucepan and stir until they have absorbed all of the liquid.  For a smoother sauce, you can whisk the ingredients or use an immersion blender (as shown in this demonstration).

Return thickened sauce to the pot.  Stir to combine.  If you think the sauce is still too thick, you can thin it down with additional beef broth or water.

Keep warm in a 200º oven until ready to serve.

This dish can be served over noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes.  Yield: 4-6 servings.