Classic sauerbraten adds tangy, sweet flavors to beef

My mission to make sauerbraten began with a shopping trip for two nonstaples: gingersnaps and juniper berries. The first was easy to find in the cookie aisle; the second, not so much.

Juniper, a spice that resembles oversize peppercorns, is key to making sauerkraut and gin, disparate though those items may be, and shows up in many sauerbraten recipes. R. Field Wine Company, inside Foodland on Beretania Street, sells the berries in bulk for the scary price of $25 per pound, but you only need about 50 cents worth.

As for sauerbraten — it’s literally sour beef, a tangy dish in the tradition of Portuguese vinha d’alhos, Filipino adobo or Chinese sweet-sour anything. Caroline Blakeley called seeking a recipe so she could have a proper Oktoberfest celebration.

Because it’s such a basic German dish, recipes can be found in many general cookbooks, beginning with “Joy of Cooking.” All generally require marinating a chunk of beef for several days in vinegar or red wine and lemon juice, then a few hours of cooking — simmering on the stove top or braising in the oven. The recipe that follows combines approaches from American and German sources.

In the end, the subtleties of the juniper berries were lost in the forthright tanginess of this dish. In fact, my first bite of meat was sour enough to be alarming. The crushed gingersnaps mellowed that flavor, their sugar adding sweetness to the gravy and their flour providing thickening.

Unless you really want the juniper for the sake of tradition, I’d say consider the berries optional; the cookies, though, are essential.

SAUERBRATEN

1 (3- to 4-pound) beef chuck roast

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

18 gingersnaps, crushed (about 1 cup crushed)

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

>> Marinade:

2 cups water

1 cup cider vinegar

1 cup red wine vinegar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons peppercorns

1 tablespoon whole cloves

2 tablespoons juniper berries (optional)

Bring marinade ingredients to boil in large pot. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Place beef roast in large, nonreactive container. Pour marinade over beef. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 days (the longer you marinate, the more tangy your roast will be). Turn meat once or twice per day.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Heat oil in large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven. Remove meat from marinade and brown well on all sides. Add marinade; bring to boil. Place on middle rack of oven and cook until fork-tender, 2 to 3 hours.

Remove meat to serving platter and let rest. Strain liquid in pot; discard solids. Return liquid to pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in sugar and gingersnaps. Simmer and stir until thickened. Taste sauce with bits of meat, adding brown sugar if the combination is too tangy. Stir in raisins, if using.

Slice meat and pour sauce over all, serving more on the side. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving (based on 3.5 pounds beef): 550 calories, 18 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 150 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,200 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 29 g sugar, 52 g protein

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Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S. Write “By Request,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813. Reach her at 529-4768 or via email at bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com.