Go Back
Print

MAMA'S SAUERBRATEN WITH SPÄTZLE

A succulent and flavourful roast, marinated in wine, vinegar and spices for at least 3 days before cooking. It's a special occasion meal that makes German hearts beat quicker!
Course Main Course
Cuisine German
Keyword dumpling, noodle, pot roast
Prep Time 20 minutes
Marinating Time 5 days
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 3 1/2- 4 lb boneless rump or chuck roast, (any tender pot roast cut will work- just ask your butcher for his recommendations)
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 2/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 apple cider vinegar
  • 1 medium onion , sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 6 juniper berries , crushed lightly in a mortar and pestle
  • 2 tbsp pickling spices , crushed lightly in a mortar and pestle (see Notes below for recipe)
  • 3 cups of water
  • olive oil
  • 1 cup of beef stock or broth
  • 3-4 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3-4 tbsp cold water
  • 2 tbsp coconut palm sugar, (or brown sugar) or to taste
  • kosher salt
  • cracked pepper
  • 1 tbsp prepared horseradish

SPÄTZLE

  • 3 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup whole milk, (can use 2%) more if needed
  • 2 cups AP flour
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp grainy mustard
  • 2 tsp caraway seeds

PICKLING SPICES

  • 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
  • 3 inches cinnamon sticks , total length
  • 2 tablespoon dill seeds
  • 1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds , any color
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon celery seeds
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons whole allspice berries
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • Optional
  • 1 tablespoon mace
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds (or 1 tablespoon pods)
  • 1 tablespoon juniper berries
  • 2 star anise pods

Instructions

METHOD for Pickling Spices

  1. Put the cinnamon sticks and peppercorns in a plastic bag and smash them with a meat tenderizer or a hammer. Crumble the bay leaves into flakes about 1/8" size. Mix all the ingredients together and store in a tight jar.

ROAST:

  1. In a large pot, combine the red wine, the two vinegars, onion, 2 bay leaves, the peppercorns, caraway seeds, juniper berries, the pickling spices and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Then turn of the heat. Let the liquid cool down completely.
  2. In a large bowl or pot with a lid, place the roast, patted dry and tied. Pour the cooled liquid over the meat. It may not completely cover the meat. But that's all right, you will be turning it daily.
  3. Cover and place in the fridge.
  4. Turn the roast each day to soak up the brine evenly, for up to 5 days. If it is more tender cut of meat, don't go past 3 days as it will start to break down. A larger, rounder cut can handle the 5 days. The longer you marinate, the more intense the flavour will be.

ON THE DAY OF COOKING

  1. Remove the meat and pat dry. Rest it on a baking sheet. Strain the rest of the marinade through a mesh strainer and keep the liquid. Set aside for the moment.
  2. Season the meat on all sides with salt and pepper.
  3. Pour enough olive oil (about 2 tbsp) in a large dutch oven to cover the bottom, over medium high heat.
  4. Add the roast and brown on all sides. Watch that the meat sizzles, but doesn't burn. If necessary, drop the heat to medium. This entire process should take around 20 minutes.
  5. Slowly pour the reserved liquid into the pot with the meat, along with 1 cup of beef stock, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil, and then drop the heat to low to get a gentle simmer. Cover the pot with the lid and cook gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Turn the meat every 30 minutes or so.
  6. When the meat is tender- it should offer no resistance to a knife or fork, remove it from the pot, and tent it with foil on a baking sheet.
  7. Turn the heat to high and reduce the liquid to 3 or 4 cups. (depending on how much gravy you would like. I like lots!) Remove the bay leaf.
  8. While the liquid is reducing, in a small bowl place 3 or 4 tbsp of cornstarch (depending on how many cups you reduced down to, and how thick you like your gravy) and an equal amount of cold water. Using a spoon or small whisk, blend till smooth.
  9. Slowly add the the cornstarch slurry to the reduced liquid and whisk it until it is smooth and thickening.
  10. Taste to check the sourness of the gravy. I usually add 1-2 tbsp of coconut palm sugar for balance. Start with one and see how you like it.
  11. Season with salt and pepper.
  12. Add 1 tbsp of prepared horseradish (optional) for extra kick. Set aside, covered with a lid.

SPÄTZLE

  1. (these can be made while the roast is braising. Or even be made the day before and reheated)
  2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs and milk.

  3. In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

  4. Add the flour to the egg mixture. Stir to combine.
  5. Add the melted butter and the two mustards. Let the batter rest 10 minutes.

  6. Place a large pot of water onto the stove to boil. Once boiling, place a large colander with medium sized holes over the pot, or use a spaetzle maker placed over the pot.

  7. If you find that the spätzle batter is too stiff to flow through the spätzle maker or colander, feel free to add more milk to loosen it up. It shouldn't be runny, but it should move easily from the maker into the water.

  8. Working in batches, spoon some of the batter into the colander and push it through the holes into the boiling water. The spaetzle maker pushes the batter through holes by moving the trough back and forth over the holes.

  9. When the dumplings reach the surface of the water, they are ready to be removed with a slotted spoon or spider and placed in a waiting serving bowl. Toss with a touch of butter or olive oil to each batch that you remove. Sprinkle with caraway seeds.

  10. Continue until all the batter is used up.

    Feel free if you have time to take the finished spätzle and sauté them in some butter for an extra bit of crunch!

SERVE

  1. Cut the roast into 1/2 slices or a touch Thinner. Pour some of the gravy onto a serving platter. Lay the pieces of meat on top of the gravy. Drizzle a little bit more gravy over the meat. Garnish with parsley sprigs/

Recipe Notes

For the gravy, use 1 tbsp of cornstarch to thicken 1 cup of liquid. If you like it thicker, you can always add a bit more slurry afterwards. I like to make extra of both the gravy and spätzle. The best midnight snack!

Traditionally this meal would be served with cooked red cabbage. But don't feel that you need to stick to this side. I personally like it with roasted beets or even brussels sprouts.

This is a typical special occasion meal, but feel free to make it for Sunday Supper as well!!

Pickling Spices Recipe from 'AmazingRibs.com'