Sauerbraten, sour roast, is one of the oldest dishes in German cooking, and nearly every region claims its own version. The Rhineland one, from the country around Cologne and the Eifel hills where the Nürburgring winds through the forest, is the most famous: beef soaked for days in a vinegar and wine marinade with onions and spices, braised slowly, then served in a gravy sweetened with raisins and thickened with crumbled gingerbread. Historically the Rhineland version was often made with horse meat; today beef is the norm.

The marinade does the heavy work, so the cook's job is mostly to plan ahead and then stay out of the way. The result is a Sunday roast that tastes sharp, sweet and spiced at once, carved in thick slices and eaten with potato dumplings or boiled potatoes and red cabbage. It is ideal Eifel food for a long day at the Ring, where the weather has a habit of changing four times between the formation lap and the flag.

The marinade

Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) beef rump roast or bottom round
• 2 cups (480 ml) dry red wine
• 1 cup (240 ml) red wine vinegar
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 2 medium yellow onions
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk or a small piece of celery root
• 3 bay leaves
• 8 black peppercorns
• 5 juniper berries
• 4 whole cloves
• 4 allspice berries
• 1 tablespoon (12 g) sugar
• 2 teaspoons fine salt

Method

1. Put everything except the beef in the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer 5 minutes, then take off the heat and let it cool completely, about 1 hour.
2. Put the beef in the bowl or bag and pour over the cold marinade with all the vegetables and spices. The meat should be covered; if not, add a little more water and vinegar in equal parts. Cover and refrigerate for 3 days, turning the meat once a day.

The roast

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup (240 ml) beef stock

Method

1. Lift the beef out of the marinade and pat it very dry with paper towels. Pour the marinade through the sieve into a bowl. Keep both the liquid and the vegetables. Heat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium high heat until it shimmers. Brown the beef on all sides, about 3 minutes a side, 12 to 15 minutes in total. Move it to a plate.
3. Add the drained marinade vegetables and spices to the pot and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute.
4. Pour in 2 cups (480 ml) of the strained marinade and the stock, and scrape the bottom of the pot. Return the beef, bring to a simmer, cover and braise in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning the meat once halfway.

The gravy

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (50 g) raisins
• 2 oz (60 g) Printen, Lebkuchen or gingersnap cookies
• 1 tablespoon (15 g) brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Method

1. Lift the beef onto the carving board, cover loosely with foil and let it rest while you make the gravy.
2. Pour the braising liquid through the sieve into the saucepan, pressing the vegetables with a spoon to squeeze out their juices. Throw the vegetables away. Spoon off as much fat from the surface as you can.
3. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Add the raisins and whisk in the crushed gingersnaps a spoonful at a time. Simmer, whisking often, for 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and add the brown sugar and salt until it is pleasantly sweet and sour.
4. Cut the beef across the grain into slices about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick. Lay them in a warm dish and pour some of the gravy over.

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