Sauerbraten with Sour Cream Gravy, Wienerwald-Style

Long ago, when I was a young soldier stationed in Germany, I took my equally young wife to dinner at a little restaurant called Wienerwald, in Frankfurt am Main. I remember ordering a plate of sauerbraten, and I was amazed at how good it was. This recipe is my attempt to recreate that wonderful dish from long ago. Serve with riced potatoes, pickled red cabbage, sauerkraut, or spaetzle, and a hearty German beer, Riesling, or Gewurztraminer wine.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins
• Calories: 314 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• ¼ cup salt
• 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
• 1 cup Marsala wine
• 4 cups water, divided
• 2 tablespoons diced crystallized ginger
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
• 4 cups red wine vinegar, divided
• 2 tablespoons white mustard seeds
• 6 pounds beef top round roast
• 2 cups full-fat sour cream

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat 2 cups water and 2 cups vinegar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add salt, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, mustard seeds, ginger, allspice, and cloves. Bring to a simmer; immediately remove from heat. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved. Add Marsala wine. Let mixture steep until pan is cool enough to touch, at least 20 minutes.

Step 2

Place beef top round in a 1 1/2-quart resealable zip-top bag. Pour liquid around the beef. Pour in remaining water and vinegar and seal bag, removing as much air as possible. Place bag in a leak-proof container and refrigerate for 4 days, turning once a day.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove meat from bag and transfer into a roasting pan; reserve the marinade.

Step 4

Strain spices out of the marinade and discard. Pour 1/2 of the liquid into the pan with the meat and reserve the rest, about 4 cups, in a saucepan.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a platter and let rest.

Step 6

Bring the 4 cups of remaining marinade to a simmer. Stir in sour cream and cook until thickened to your preference, 6 to 10 minutes. Slice beef against the grain and spoon the gravy on top.