📍 Colonia

Sauerbraten

Name: Sauerbraten
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 4530 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1.5 kg beef roasting joint; 300 ml red wine; 200 ml wine vinegar; 500 ml water; 1 onion and 2 carrots, chopped; 6 juniper berries, 3 cloves and 2 bay leaves; 60 g uncoated gingerbread; 2 tablespoons oil; Salt and pepper

· Lunch

German beef roast marinated in wine and vinegar, slowly braised and served with a spiced sauce.

Editorial content by WorldBites · 2026-10-04 · Contact

⏱ 4530 min🍽 6 servings📊 Difficult🏷 Commonly associated

Preparation: 30 min
Cooking: 180 min
Waiting and resting: 4,320 min

History

Sauerbraten has regional German variations; the Rhineland version often balances sour and sweet. This recipe is associated with that region without claiming a particular inventor.

Ingredients

Adjust quantitiesServings

Only numeric quantities at the start of an ingredient are adjusted. Descriptive quantities, seasoning to taste and timings remain unchanged; check them when changing servings.

Preparation

1
Mix wine, vinegar, water, vegetables and spices. Submerge beef in a nonreactive container and marinate covered in the refrigerator for 3 days, turning daily.
2
Remove and dry the meat, reserving the marinade. Brown the meat on all sides in oil.
3
Add vegetables and marinade. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 2.5-3 hours until very tender.
4
Remove the meat. Strain the sauce, add crumbled gingerbread and simmer while stirring until thickened.
5
Slice the beef and serve with the sauce, adjusting salt and pepper.

Cooking tips

Always marinate in the refrigerator in glass or stainless steel.

References to consult

References provide information about the dish, its context or a technique. Quantities in this version may differ from those in the source.

German National Tourist Board — German cuisine(Context)

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