Sauerbraten

How to make Sauerbraten Recipe - The Pennsylvania Dutch and their ancestors have traditionally been meat eaters. The early settlers, however, had to settle for rabbit, wild fowl and venison until their herds were established.

Ingredients:
4 pounds boneless, rolled beef chuck or round
Salt and pepper
3 cups white or cider vinegar
3 cups water
4 large onions, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons sugar
10 whole cloves
All-purpose flour
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
Crumbera Knepp, page 24
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup raisins

Method:
Rub beef with salt and pepper. Place in a large, stainless, glass or plastic bowl (not aluminum). In a large saucepan, combine vinegar, water, onions, bay leaf, peppercorns, sugar and cloves.

Heat just to simmering; do not boil. Pour vinegar mixture over beef to partially cover. Cool, then cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 days, turning meat each day.

Remove meat from marinade, reserving marinade. Wipe meat dry. Rub meat with flour. Heat lard or oil in a heavy Dutch oven. Brown meat on all sides in hot fat. Pour vinegar mixture over beef. Taste and dilute with water if it seems too sour.

Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender and vinegar mixture cooked down. Prepare potato balls for Crumbera Knepp. Remove beef and keep warm. Strain liquid and return to Dutch oven.

In a cup, mix 3 tablespoons flour with a small amount of water to make a paste; whisk into liquid in Dutch oven. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking, until thickened.  Add ginger, allspice and raisins. Cook potato balls for Crumbera Knepp. Moisten roast with gravy and serve remainder in a gravy boat.

Serve meat with hot dumplings. Makes 8 servings.