A tender twist on a classic German favorite, this sauerbraten recipe swaps traditional rump roast for ultra juicy beef short ribs. Marinaded for 48 hours in a brine of red wine vinegar, pickling spices, onions, wine and herbs, and topped with a rich gravy, these short ribs take on all the iconic sauerbraten flavors Germans know and love and presents them in a new way.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time2 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Marinade2 daysd
Total Time2 daysd3 hourshrs
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: German
Servings: 6
Calories: 822kcal
Ingredients
Marinade
1cupdry red wine
1cupred wine vinegar
1/2tablespoonsalt
1largewhite onionthinly sliced
2largecarrotspeeled and sliced
2tablespoonspickling spicefound in the spice aisle
1tablespoon whole cloves
1tablespoonwhole black peppercorns
2wholedried bay leaves
3sprigsfresh thyme
3sprigsfresh parsley
4-6cupswaterenough to cover meat
Sauerbraten Ingredients
5poundsbone-in short ribsEnglish-style
4slicesbaconfinely chopped
1/2largewhite onionthinly sliced
3tablespoonsunsalted butter
1tablespoonall-purpose flour
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
3/4cupgolden raisins
1cupgingersnap cookiescrumbled
1/2lemonjuiced
saltto taste
Instructions
Season beef liberally with salt in large bowl. Combine wine, vinegar, onions, carrots, herbs and spices in a glass measuring cup and pour over beef. Add up to 6 cups of water, just enough to completely submerge the short ribs in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 48-72 hours. Remove beef from marinade and pat dry. Pour the marinade through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Reserve the liquid and the vegetable-spice mixture.In a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a towl-lined plate to cool; reserve the rendered fat in the pot.Next, over medium-high heat, sear the short-ribs. Cook 2-3 at a time, turning, until browned all over, about 15 minutes. Transfer the short ribs to a plate and set aside.Preheat Oven to 325°F. Add fresh, sliced onion to the pot along with strained vegetables and spices. Saute, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10-15 minutes. Deglaze the pan with about 1/2 cup of the reserved marinade then return beef to pot. Pour additional reserved marinade over the short ribs until it's about 50 percent submerged. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and then transfer to the preheated oven. Roast until beef is very tender and easily pulls away from the bones; about 2.5 hours. Transfer beef and vegetables to a platter.Carefully pour the hot cooking liquid through a fine strainer into a saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the flour with about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid to make a slurry. Pour the slurry back into the simmering cooking liquid and add the butter, brown sugar, raisins, lemon juice and gingersnaps. Continue to whisk constantly, until the gravy has thickened; about 5-8 minutes. Stir in half of the reserved bacon and then remove from the heat.To serve, arrange short ribs on a platter. Spoon gravy over the top and sprinkle with bacon and parsley.