Which Meat We Recommend For Sauerbraten

Sauerbraten is considered a classic German recipe that still inspires many friends of home cooking today. Even if there are many variations of this recipe in German-speaking countries, the basic ingredient – the meat – always remains the same. But which types of meat are suitable for the traditional sauerbraten?

Beef

In most parts of the German-speaking area, beef is used nowadays. The scoop piece on the shoulder of the beef is particularly good for the roast. This muscle was particularly stressed by cattle during their lifetime and thus represents a lean piece of meat, which is streaked with pronounced connective tissue. But parts of the hip and leg of beef are also good for a delicious piece of roast beef.

Horse meat

In contrast to the classic sauerbraten with beef, the typical Rhenish sauerbraten is prepared with horse meat. Here, too, the hip piece is usually used for the roast. Due to the often old age of the horses, the meat used to be very tough. Therefore, it had to be softened by pickling it in an acidic marinade. Since the use of this type of meat has generally declined sharply in recent years, this variant of sauerbraten is rarely prepared these days.

Tip: If you prefer a sweet note to sauerbraten, you should stick to Rhenish sauerbraten. Its sauce is refined with sweet raisins.

Other meats

In addition to horse and beef, meat from rabbit, pork, turkey or game is also used in rare variations for the sauerbraten. Even if these alternatives seem unusual, they are particularly tasty variants of the usual types of meat.

Put in the original sauerbraten

Before refrigerators existed, people would soak the roast in a simple batter of wine and vinegar in a 1:1 ratio. In this way, the meat was preserved optimally. Today, in addition to the wine and vinegar mixture, various herbs and spices are added to the meat to give the sauerbraten an unmistakable aroma. The typical pickle also contains vegetables such as carrots, onions, and celery. Briefly cook the marinade with the chopped ingredients and, after it has cooled, pour it over the meat until it is completely covered.
If you want to reduce the intense vinegar smell, you can dilute the vinegar with water or even replace it entirely with wine.

We have prepared an original Sauerbraten in Römerbraten. Feel free to try it out! You can serve this with classic potato dumplings, but you can also use homemade wrap dumplings or spaetzle.

How long to insert?

Depending on the possible time required and the recipe, the meat for the sauerbraten can be marinated for between 2 days and about 3 weeks. Most recipes recommend pickling for 2 to 3 days. However, the longer the meat marinates in the acidic marinade, the softer and more aromatic the roast will be.

Tip: If you don’t find time for pickling in everyday life, you don’t have to do without the roast. There are many butchers who sell the already pickled sauerbraten.

Pickled sauerbraten: risk of mold?

If you have completely covered the sauerbraten with the marinade, the vinegar will keep it from going moldy. In the past, when the means of preserving food were very limited, people used vinegar to extend its shelf life. While the graying of the meat during marinating looks alarming, it is completely normal. If you have prepared the sauerbraten correctly and there is no mold to be seen, it is still perfectly edible even after a long marinating time of several weeks. If you store the sauerbraten in airtight plastic containers, a slightly slimy layer may form on the meat. This comes from the condensation of the box and can simply be washed off afterward.
Once the preparation is complete, you should store the sauerbraten in the refrigerator and eat it within a few days.