Rhenish Sauerbraten

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• ½ liter red wine, dry
• 125 ml red wine vinegar
• 1 bunch of soup vegetables
• 2 onions
• some peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 juniper berries
• 2 allspice berries
• 2 kg lean beef (pot roast beef – originally with horse roast)
• 30 g lard
• 100 g pumpernickel
• 1 handful of raisins
• 125 ml vegetable stock
• Salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest period approx. 2 days; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 days 2 hours

Mix the red wine and vinegar. Trim, wash, and finely chop the soup vegetables. Peel and halve the onions. Add the vegetables to the red wine vinegar along with the peppercorns, bay leaves, juniper berries, and allspice berries. Place the pot roast in the marinade and let it rest, completely covered, in a cool place for at least 2 days. Tip: It’s best to place the meat and marinade in a large plastic bag, press out any air, and seal it! On the day of preparation, remove the meat from the marinade, pat dry, and rub all over with salt. Then sear the meat all over in the lard. Deglaze with a small amount of the marinade. To reduce the flavor of the marinade slightly (this will make the sauce milder), mix the rest with equal parts of the vegetable stock. Gradually pour this mixture into the pot and let the contents simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Turn the meat over, add the chopped pumpernickel, and simmer for another 30 minutes over low heat. Baste the meat with the stock frequently. Remove the meat and keep warm. Strain the sauce through a sieve. Add the raisins and bring to a boil briefly. Slice the meat and arrange on a plate. Serve the sauce separately. Serve with bread or potato dumplings, apple compote, and—most importantly—freshly tapped Kölsch beer.