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❤️ Authentic German Sauerbraten Recipe using a Crockpot

➤ by Oma Gerhild Fulson

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Sauerbraten, made in a slow cooker, served with potato dumplings, red cabbage and gravy. A traditional German meal.

Here's the Sauerbraten recipe that comes from my Mutti's own handwritten cookbook. 

Her recipes are special to me. Full of wonderful memories, especially sitting in the dining room, enjoying these delicious feasts. This beef dinner is one of those. The meat is so tender and flavorful. 

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And, it's so easy to make, especially using a crockpot, aka, a slow cooker.

The slow cooker makes this tender marinated meat ever more tender. It's a traditional German dinner and still is a favorite.

However, if you wish, you can cook it on the stove top instead. Which ever way you choose, you'll be thrilled with the tenderness and the flavor.

I love using my new Cuisinart Slow Cooker!    (I gave away my old one!)

Not only is it a slow cooker, but it's a Multicooker!

That means it can be used to quickly brown or sauté the meat  (up to 400 °F) before setting it to slow cook (at various temps) ... and there's a 'steam' option as well!

With a 24-hour timer and an automatic Keep Warm feature, I LOVE this! You'll love using this, just like I do!

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An authentic German sauerbraten is so easy to make, but it's NOT quick ... it takes time to marinate and to cook. It just means that you need to do some planning to allow several days for the marinating to take place. 

But, it's SO good and SO worth the time.

How long should you marinate the Sauerbraten?

For most cooking, marinating normally takes from two hours to two days. However, for German Sauerbraten, that's not long enough!

The traditional marinating time is anywhere from three to five days. During this time, all you need to do is daily turn the meat once or twice in the marinade. The results are worth the time. 

Oma's Tip:

Personally, I like using the slow cooker since it's something I can leave on the counter and go shopping.

You still need to go through the browning of the meat, in order to build the flavor. Then just put the vegetables and broth (or water) in the slow cooker, along with the meat.

Then, it's set it and forget it until it's dinner time.

OR ... satisfy your Sauerbraten craving RIGHT NOW ...

Here, I'm just about to seal the Instant Pot pressure cooker and have dinner ready in only one hour. Wunderbar!

❤️ Sauerbraten, in an Instant Pot pressure cooker, makes this German meal in just 1 hour. https://www.quick-german-recipes.com/german-sauerbraten.html #instantpotrecipe #germanrecipes #justlikeoma

Just got a craving for Sauerbraten. It's 4 o'clock? Follow my recipe for making this in an Instant Pot pressure cooker and you'll have a complete meal on the table by supper.

It won't be identical to a marinated roast, but if you've got a sauerbraten craving and want it for dinner tonight, it'll be the pressure cooker method. WUNDERBAR!

How to make Sauerbraten the traditional way 

The first step is to marinate the beef. To do this, I prefer to use a Ziploc bag. I place that into a bowl or, as shown here, in a super large measuring cup. Why? Just in case the bag breaks!

If you wish, you can use a ceramic or glass bowl instead. However, using the Ziploc bag makes turning the meat daily an easy task.

Put seasoned meat into the bag. Add the vinegar, wine, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves and onion slices. Add extra water to cover, if needed.

Marinating the meat for this Sauerbraten for 3 to 5 days is a must for tender and flavorful meat.

Now just put the whole thing into the fridge and turn the meat, once or twice daily. Plan on doing this for 3 to 5 days, for the best flavor.

Then, it's time to get a nice sear on the meat. This seals in the juices and builds flavor, not only for the meat, but for the gravy, as well.

Drain the meat, discarding the marinade. In a large deep saucepan, brown the meat in fat (bacon fat really is the best) on all sides. 

Browning the meat for Sauerbraten seals in the juices and builds the flavor.

Add the carrots, onions, and celery and brown these a bit as well.

Now, you get to choose how you want to actually cook the meat. Either, add the liquid to the saucepan, cover, and simmer for about 3 hours.

Or, put the meat and the rest of the contents of the saucepan into the crockpot. Add the liquid. Cover and set for 7 to 8 hours on low. This is my favorite way and the one I learned from my Mutti.

Then it's time to make the gravy and serve.

Authentic German Sauerbraten (marinated beef) served with potato dumplings and red cabbage. And, lots of gravy!

What are the best sides to serve with Sauerbraten?

Traditionally, Sauerbraten is served with potato dumplings and red cabbage (as shown above. Applesauce makes a nice accompaniment as well. Don't like potato dumplings? Spätzle, those little homemade noodles or boiled potatoes make a great side dish, as well. In fact, these little noodles are very popular in southern Germany and are the usually accompaniment for Sauerbraten there.

Want something just a bit different with Sauerbraten? Try serving potato pancakes, aka Kartoffelpuffer, with this instead. A very yummy variation.

Here's how to make Mutti's Marinated Sauerbraten...

Mutti's German Sauerbraten Recipe ❤️

Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs beef (chuck, rump, or round)
  • salt, pepper
  • 1 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 12 peppercorns
  • 4 whole cloves
  • bacon fat, butter, or oil for browning
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 rib celery, sliced
  • 2 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 cup sour cream (optional)
Instructions:
  1. Wipe meat with damp cloth and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  2. Place in ceramic or glass bowl (not metal) or into a Ziploc bag that's been placed into a bowl in case it should leak. Add vinegar, wine, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves and one sliced onion. Add water to cover.
  3. Tightly cover bowl (or seal Ziploc bag) and refrigerate for 3 - 5 days, turning once or twice every day.
  4. Drain meat.
  5. In Dutch oven or deep pan, put about 2 - 3 tbsp bacon fat, butter, or oil to brown meat.
  6. Brown roast on all sides.
  7. Add carrots, onions, and celery. Brown slightly.
  8. Add about 1 cup water (or broth) and cook over low heat about 3 hours, until meat is tender. (Or put everything into slow cooker. See hints below.)
  9. Remove meat. Mix corn starch with a bit of water. Slowly add just enough to simmering cooking liquid until thickened for gravy. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream (if using). Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  10. Serve meat and gravy with potato dumplings and red cabbage!
  11. Makes 8 - 10 servings.
Hints:
  • Can be cooked in SLOW COOKER. Will take about 7 - 8 hours on low. (Check your slow cookers' manual)
  • For a 'spicier' taste, remove meat from marinade the night before cooking and cover all sides thickly with mustard. Cover and continue the following day with above instructions.

Want nutritional information? Copy and paste the above ingredient list and the number of servings into Calorie Count for an approximate calculation.

Need help doing conversions between cups and grams, etc.? Use this site to give you all the different conversions for the different types of ingredients. 

2.  Jodie's German Sauerbraten Recipe ❤️

Here's JoSele Swopes (Albuquerque, NM USA) recipe that she submitted to our 2012 Quick Christmas Contest. Although not the winner of the contest, this sauerbraten recipe is still a winner in our eyes :)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup port wine 
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar 
  • ½ cup red wine, dry burgundy 
  • 2 medium onions, yellow, medium sliced 
  • 1 large carrot, sliced 
  • 1 medium, celery stalk, sliced 
  • 4 sprigs parsley 
  • 1 medium bay leaf 
  • 2 clove allspice, whole 
  • 4 clove cloves, whole 
  • 1 tbsp sea salt 
  • 1 tbsp pepper 
  • 4 lb beef rump roast 
  • ⅓ cup canola oil 
  • 8 tbsp flour 
  • 1 tbsp sugar 
  • ½ cup ginger snaps (crushed) 

Instructions:

  1. In a large plastic tub with a lid: Wipe meat with a damp cloth. Place the roast in bowl and prepare marinade to be poured into the same bowl. 
  2. Prepare the first 10 ingredients mix together and pour over the meat. Put lid on good and tight so no air can get to it. Place in a cool place and marinade for three days, turning the meat 2 to 3 times a day. 
  3. On the third day, (day of the meal) remove the meat from the marinade and wipe it dry. Heat marinade in small pan. Heat dutch oven slowly, add cooking oil. Dredge the roast in the 2 tbsp flour, salt and pepper mixture. Brown well, add in marinade, cover and simmer for 2½ to 3 hours. 
  4. Strain Marinade and skim the fat, measure 3½ cups of the marinade into a pan and heat. In a small jar measure ½ cup water, the rest of the flour and sugar, place lid and shake till there are no lumps, slowly pour into marinade stirring all the while, bring to a boil, add crushed ginger snaps to the marinade, bring back to a boil stirring constantly. 
  5. Strain marinade through cheese cloth so that it is smooth. Pour over meat and simmer 20 minutes covered. Remove from heat slice roast, serve with potato dumpling use the gravy you made from the marinade over the meat and dumplings. Fantastic!

Want nutritional information? Copy and paste the above ingredient list and the number of servings into Calorie Count for an approximate calculation.

Need help doing conversions between cups and grams, etc.? Use this site to give you all the different conversions for the different types of ingredients. 

See Oma's Meat Recipes Cookbook

You might like these

Check out Oma Gerhild's delicious German Beef Recipes, right here, right now!

Leave a comment about this recipe or ask a question?

Pop right over to my private Facebook group, the Kaffeeklatschers. You'll find thousands of German foodies, all eager to help and to talk about all things German, especially these yummy foods. 

I pop in all the time as well, to chat and to answer questions. 

Meet with us around Oma's table, pull up a chair, grab a coffee and a piece of Apfelstrudel, and enjoy the visit.

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Want nutritional information for a recipe?

Copy and paste the ingredient list and the number of servings into Calorie Count. 

It will give you an approximate calculation.

Need help doing conversions

between cups and grams or any such thing?

Use this site to give you all the different conversions for the different types of ingredients. 


Pin the following post so you can quickly find your German Sauerbraten recipe when you're pulling out your slow cooker and the rest of your ingredients ...
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Oma's Sauerbraten! Tender and flavorful
Oma's Sauerbraten! Tender and flavorful

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German Sauerbraten Recipe made Just like Oma



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German Sauerbraten Recipe made Just like Oma
This German Sauerbraten recipe comes from my Mutti's own cookbook. Tender and flavorful, this traditional beef dinner is for sure a favourite.


Ingredients: beef rump roast, carrot, celery, red wine,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...