A good sauerbraten takes days to create. You need a lot of patience. However, the result is beyond worth it. Your reward is tender, marinated, slow-roasted meat falling into flavorful pieces on your plate. Meet another sauerbraten variation I found in a German cooking magazine, Apple Cider Sauerbraten.
This recipe is no different. It takes time and patience. Marinate this rump roast for two days in apple cider, white wine vinegar, and a broth that is studded with cloves, juniper berries, cloves, and whole peppercorns. Additionally, add fresh rosemary for extra seasonal flavor. The resulting Apple Cider Sauerbraten is so flavorful you forgive the hours you spend making it.
After two days, remove the meat from the refrigerator, and sear on all sides in olive oil on the stovetop. Then, add onions and creamy small yellow potatoes and fry them in the roast drippings. Then simmer the potatoes in the marinade. Add more delicious fall flavors: maple syrup, dried apple pieces, and a cinnamon stick. Is your mouth watering yet? Add the meat back into the pot. The final step is to cover the pan, then slide it into the oven to cook for three hours.
This Apple Cider Sauerbraten flavor is savory and sweet. The apple cider base flavor is a lovely seasonal touch. This dish is so good I am tempted to replace my Thanksgiving turkey this year with this recipe. However, I already bought my turkey so I am seriously thinking of recreating it for Christmas dinner.
Saves Making an additional Dish:
Due to the fact, the recipe already incorporates potatoes, it has a side dish built into the recipe. Consequently, it is a time saver for sure. Make an additional green vegetable side dish to balance out the meal.
Swap out the Cider:
One of my favorite Items available at my local farmers market is pear cider. Next time I get my hands on some, I am definitely recreating this dish with pear flavor.
Apple Cider Sauerbraten makes any holiday meal special. So bookmark it.
Apple Cider Sauerbraten
Ingredients
- 4 onions
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 whole cloves
- 6 whole juniper berries
- 1+3/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1+3/4 cup apple cider
- 3+1/4 cups vegetable broth
- 5+1/2 lb rump roast
- 1+1/2 lb small yellow potatoes
- 1 cup dried apple pieces
- kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 cinnamon stick
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
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Peel and dice 2 of the onions.
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Place the onions, bay leaves, black peppercorns, rosemary, cloves, juniper berries, vinegar, apple cider, 2 cups of the vegetable broth and the roast in a pot or casserole dish with a cover. (I used a large ziplock bag)
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Place the marinated meat in the refrigerator for 2 days. Make sure you turn the roast over after 1 day.
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Strain the marinade reserving the liquid.
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Pat the roast dry and leave it at room temperature for 1 hour.
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Peel and dice the remaining 2 onions.
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Cut the potatoes in half.
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Liberally salt the roast.
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Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large dutch oven or skillet that has a cover. You will need room because you are adding the rest of the ingredients to the pan and cooking in the oven. Place the roast in the skillet, sear on all sides and remove it from the pan.
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
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Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet with the grease from the roast.
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Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring until they become transparent.
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Add the potatoes to the pan, stirring to coat. Let cook for a few minutes, stirring.
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Stir in the tomato paste, flour, dried apple, Cook stirring for about 3 minutes.
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Stir in 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup and cinnamon stick.
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Add one cup of the reserved marinade to the pan and the remaining 1+1/4 cups of the vegetable broth.
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Bring to a boil. Add the roast back into the pan. Cover the pan and place in a hot oven on the lowest rack.
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Cook for 3 hours, turning the meat over occasionally.
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After 2+1/2 hours, add the rest of the marinade to the pan and remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
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Remove the roast from the pan. Wrap it in aluminum foil and let it rest.
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Turn up the oven to 400 degrees and boil the marinade for 10 minutes.
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Remove the pan from the oven. Season the marinade with the rest of the maple syrup and kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Remove the cinnamon stick.
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Arrange the potatoes on a platter. Slice the sauerbraten and lay the pieces on top of the potatoes. Spoon the remaining over the top and serve.
Like this Apple Cider Sauerbraten recipe? Try some of these other beef dishes:
