GERMAN SAUERBRATEN
Qty Measurement Ingredient —– ———— ——————————————————–
4 lbs beef rump, sirloin tip, or round bone chuck, boneless
1-1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup COCA-COLA 3/4 cup water 3 onions, sliced 2 stalks celery, sliced 2 carrots, sliced 10 whole black peppers 10 whole cloves 3 bay leaves 2 Tbsps sugar
1-1/2 tsps salt
flour 3 Tbsps oil or shortening
GRAVY:
—– ———— ——————————————————–
3 cups drippings plus strained marinade 5 Tbsps flour 5 Tbsps ginger snap crumbs
2 to 4 days before serving, wipe the meat with a damp cloth, then place in a large plastic bag.
In a large bowl, throuoghly combine the vinegar, Coca-Cola, water, onions, celery, carrots, pepper, cloves, bay leaves, sugar, and salt and pour over meat. Fasten bag tightly and lay flat in a 13x9-inch pan. Refrigerate, turning bag each day. (If you like a sour sauerbraten, let meat marinate 4 days.)
When ready to cook, remove meat (saving marinade) and dry well. Rub the surface lightly with flour. In Dutch oven, heat oil or shortening and slowly brown the meat well on all sides. Add 1 cup of the marinade liquid plus some of the vegetables and bay leaves. Cover tightly and simmer on surface heat or in a preheat, 350 degree F oven for 3 to 4 hours until the meat is fork-tender. If needed, add more marinade during cooking to keep at least 1/2-inch liquid in the Dutch oven. Remove the meat and keep warm until ready to slice.
Into a large measuring cup, strain the drippings. Add several ice cubes and let stand a few minutes until the fat separates out. Remove fat, then make gravy. Makes 8 servings.
TO MAKE THE GRAVY: In the Dutch oven, combine the gravy ingredients, stir and cook about 5 minutes over medium heat until gravy is thickened. Taste for seasonings. Makes 3 cups of gravy.
Recipe: "International Cooking with Coca-Cola", a give-away pamphlet from
The Coca-Cola Company, 1981