Sauebrauten A Classic Recipe-Perfect and Easy for October

I have a big weakness for Holliday themed and seasonal recipes.  I love making pumpkin for Halloween, turkey for thanksgiving, latkes for Channukah , roast for Christmas, corned beef for St. Patrick's day and so on.  There are just certain foods I have to have at certain times of the year.   October is no different,  in October I'm thinking pumpkins of course,

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but also Oktoberfest.

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I already have the perfect pumpkin recipe, Dorie Greenspan's pumpkin stuffed with everything good, but I was lacking an Oktoberfest appropriate recipe.   Of course it had to be German and preferably old fashioned.  I settled on Sauerbrauten, German Pot Roast, because there is nothing more reminiscent of a mid century family meal then a big delicious pot roast:

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During the coarse of my searching for an appropriate recipe I discovered that German's would never actually eat Sauerbrauten during Oktoberfest it being more of a sausage time.  However, I decided not to be dissuaded and to forge ahead with my own traditions.

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I choose Alton Brown's recipe as featured on kitchn.  Now Sauerbrauten takes some time to make, three days in all, but in all that time you barely have to do more then stir, this is a seriously easy recipe. 


Sauerbraten
2 cups water
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped, or 2 to 3 small
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, additional for seasoning meat
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
6 whole cloves
12 juniper berries
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) bottom round
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
18 dark old-fashioned gingersnaps crumbled
a few handfuls golden raisins

You start by making a vinegar marinade.  To do this you combining the water, vinegars, onion, carrot, salt, pepper, and spices in a large pot which you bring to a boil and then simmer for ten minutes.  Set aside the marinade to cool while you season your meat with salt and pepper and brown I on all sides in a skillet coat with the vegetable oil.  It should take about five minutes per side.  Next add the meat to the vinegar marinade.  Cover the pot and store it in the refrigerator for three days.  During this time you will turn the roast once a day.

On the third day remove the pot from the fridge

 and preheat the oven to 325 Sprinkle the sugar over the meat and roast the meat in the pot for 4 hours until very tender.  Remove from the oven and transfer the meat to a platter.  Strain the vegetables and spices from the sauce in the pot and bring it to a simmer on the stove top.  Mix in the crumbled ginger snaps and stir well.  Just before serving stir in the raisins and pour the sauce over the meat.  Delicious!  This recipe is definitely going into my seasonal rotation, and I'm also sure I'll be making it after October is a distant memory.

Serve with ricotta spaetzle,  make sure to double the recipe,  German red cabbage, and of course plenty of Oktoberfest beer!


Note: Not pictured in the above photo is the dogs who where going crazy begging for a taste!