Sauerbraten

Being of german descent decided a nice Sauerbraten dinner would be a great cold weather meal--this takes a little planning in advance as you marinate the beef for days before cooking--it is well worth the wait though and sooooo yummy! Don't be thrown off by the long ingredient list it comes together really fast.

• 1 3 1/2- to 4-pound beef round roast, brought to room temperature
• Vegetable oil, to coat
• Salt and pepper or Montreal seasoning
• 
  
• For the Brine:
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 1 cup cloudy cider
• 1 large carrot, peeled and thickly sliced on an angle
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered with root end left attached
• 2 to 3 ribs celery, thickly sliced on an angle
• 
  
• In a tea filter sack, coffee filter or cheesecloth, bundle together:
• 2 large bay leaves
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon Juniper berries (you can find them in the spice aisle)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons, half a palmful, mustard seed
• About 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seed
• About 1 1/2 teaspoons dill seed
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 16 ginger snaps, ground

Bring brine and flavor pouch to a boil in a saucepot or large Dutch oven  or as you can see I leave mine loose!

Turn heat off and let cool. 

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Rub roast with vegetable oil and season liberally with salt and pepper or Montreal Seasoning. Got to tell you how much I love the splatter guard --easy to use and a lot less mess for Kevin to clean up!!

Brown in the hot pan on all sides, 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat.

Combine brine and meat in the pot or in another container and refrigerate 3 days, turning meat occasionally.
THIS IS THE PLAN AHEAD PART-- I PUT MINE IN A LARGE ZIPLOC

To cook, bring meat to room temperature. Sprinkle sugar into the pot and combine with sauce. Preheat oven to 325°F and roast about 3 1/3-4 hours. Meat may also be cooked in a slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.

Remove roast to a carving board and cover with foil. Let rest 30 minutes. Strain or finely grind sauce in a food mill and return to pot. 

Whisk in tomato paste and ground ginger snaps – if snaps do not dissolve completely pass through food mill or sieve again. Adjust black pepper in sauce to taste.You know what I think I added raisins in as well --why I am not sure might have seen it in another recipe and thats why....but it was good!

Yummo served it with spaetzle and glazed carrots and beets!