Westphalian Sauerbraten

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 liter red wine vinegar, classic
• 500 ml water
• 2 large bay leaves
• 6 allspice berries
• 1 tbsp peppercorns, mixed
• 1 vegetable onion(s)
• 1 ½ kg roast beef (boiled beef or false fillet)
• Clarified butter
• 1 liter beef stock
• 4 tbsp, heaped gravy, instant
• 1 cup of cream
• pepper, black
• Cornstarch, mixed, optional

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest period approx. 5 days; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 5 days 2 hours 30 minutes

Not sweet and sour like the Rhenish, but sour

For the marinade, mix the vinegar, water, bay leaves, allspice, and peppercorns in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, roughly chop the onion, place the meat in a suitable container with a lid, and arrange the onion pieces on top. I use an enameled roasting pan for this. Pour the still-hot marinade over the meat and onions. The meat should be completely covered. Allow to cool, then let it marinate in the refrigerator for 10 days, turning once a day. Remove the meat and pat dry with kitchen paper. Now season the meat with a little pepper and sear it on all sides in a roasting pan with clarified butter, then deglaze with the beef stock. Braise on the stovetop with the lid closed for 1.5 hours, turning every 30 minutes. I always prepare this the day before, keep it in the fridge overnight, then trim about a third of the fat and then make the sauce. But you can also continue preparing it straight away. Remove the meat and slice it. Whisk the cream and instant sauce into the sauce, let it simmer for a while, and season with pepper if desired. If you want the sauce to be creamy, bring to a boil with some cornstarch and simmer until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Once the sauce is ready, add the slices of meat and heat for at least another 20 minutes. We like to eat it with boiled potatoes and red cabbage. Leftover roast meat with sauce can also be easily frozen.