Sauerbraten

Ingredients

• 1.6kg beef topside, silverside or bottom round, tied
• For the marinade: 500ml red wine vinegar
• 500ml dry red wine
• 500ml water
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 leek, sliced
• 10 juniper berries
• 8 whole cloves
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• For the braise: 3 tbsp lard or neutral oil
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 80g Lebkuchen or Pumpernickel, crumbled
• 60g raisins
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 100ml double cream (optional)
• Potato dumplings and red cabbage, to serve

Before you cook

• Bring the vinegar, wine, water, sliced vegetables and all the spices to the boil in a large pan, then take it off the heat and cool it completely.
• Put the beef in a non-reactive container or a large freezer bag.
• Pour the cold marinade over the beef so it is fully submerged, adding water if it is not.
• Seal the container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days, turning the joint once a day.
• On the day of cooking, lift the beef out and pat it very dry, then strain the marinade and keep both the liquid and the vegetables.

Steps

1. Heat the lard in a heavy casserole over high heat until it shimmers.
2. Brown the beef hard on every surface, about 10 minutes in total, and take your time on each face.
3. Lift the beef onto a plate and turn the heat down to medium.
4. Add the strained marinade vegetables to the pot and cook them for 8 minutes until they take on colour.
5. Stir in the tomato puree and the sugar and cook for 2 minutes until it smells sweet and toasty.
6. Pour in 800ml of the strained marinade and scrape the base of the pot clean with a wooden spoon.
7. Return the beef to the pot with any juices from the plate.
8. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover and either keep it at the barest bubble on the hob or move it to a 150C oven.
9. Braise for 3 hours, turning the joint every 45 minutes, until a skewer meets no resistance.
10. Lift the beef out, wrap it loosely in foil and leave it to rest.
11. Strain the braising liquid into a clean pan, pressing hard on the vegetables, then discard the solids.
12. Boil the liquid hard for 10 minutes to concentrate it.
13. Whisk in the crumbled Lebkuchen and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.
14. Add the raisins and cook for 3 minutes more.
15. Taste the sauce and balance it with salt, and a little sugar if it is too sharp.
16. Stir in the cream if you want a rounder, milder sauce.
17. Carve the beef across the grain into 1cm slices and lay them in the sauce to warm through.
18. Serve with potato dumplings and braised red cabbage.