Recipes

[kate2357]

I was looking at my recipes for an egg noodle dish for the Recipe Game thread and navigated to this Sauebraten beef made in a crockpot. This is a "quick" sauerbraten vs the longer version which requires brining for a couple of days. We love German food and really miss our favorite German resaurant - Gustav's - which closed down a few years ago. 

I make this recipe as is, except I do brown my beef and my onions before putting into the crockpot. I use red wine vinegar, but if you have apple cider vinegar, that works too. And you really do need to use the ginger snaps as it makes for a really good gravy. I will serve w/ potato pancakes or spaetzle or egg noodles, just depends on what I have in the pantry.

SLOW COOKER SAUERBRATEN BEEF IN GINGERSNAP GRAVY - Love Bakes Good Cakes

INGREDIENTS - FOR THE SAUERBRATEN BEEF
2 pounds beef stew meat
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 cup red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
¾ cup crushed gingersnap cookies (about 15 cookies)
2 tablespoons brown sugar

FOR SERVING
cooked spaetzle or egg noodles
fresh chopped parsley, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS
In a slow cooker, combine the beef, onions, broth, vinegar, and bay leaves. Mix well. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8-10 hours (HIGH 4-5 hours) or until the meat is cooked through and very tender. 

Remove the bay leaves from the beef mixture. Stir in the crushed gingersnaps and brown sugar. Cover and continue to cook on LOW setting for an additional 15 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and thickened. 

Serve beef mixture over cooked spaetzle or egg noodles. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

[laluzdelmundo]

@kate2357 This sounds yummie, a perfect winter dish. My mother made Sauerbraten decades ago, before my father passed. It was one of his favorites. Your recipe will be a first time for me.

Though she also made Hasenpfeffer (a German rabbit stew), pretty sure I won't be cooking a bunny in this lifetime.

[kate2357]

@laluzdelmundo 

I can't imagine cooking a rabbit either. I won't say never, because if the zombie apocalypse ever happens, all bets are off. A girl's gotta eat.  

We love German food. I make schnitzel (pork or chicken) a few times a year. 

[laluzdelmundo]

@kate2357 Ah, Wienerschnitzel. Mom made that also though I never have since I'm reluctant to eat veal, baby calf and all. Sometimes I'm reluctant to eat meat in general, then get tempted and cook a roast or a meat loaf.   

I know a chicken breast can be pounded pretty thin. But what cut of pork do you use? 

I believe I'd like to eat at your house! 

[kate2357]

I cut the chicken lengthwise to make thin and pound it. I use boneless pork loin chops and either buy them thin or cut them lengthwise and pound. I don't do veal.

[deepwaterdotter]

This is an easier alternative to my traditional sauerbraten made from a top round roast marinated overnight.

[rms1954]

This sounds so unusual.  I love dishes that are too involved and are different.  Thanks for posting.  I plan on trying this and your other chicken recipie you posted. 

[kate2357]

@deepwaterdotter 

I like the tradtional sauerbraten too. My mother-in-law made a really excellent version. I think sauerbraten may be like potato salad or meatloaf ... everyone has a version they make.

I do think this recipe could be tweaked to use any cut of beef roast (top or bottom roast) you like and cook it in a crockpot.

[rms1954]

@kate2357I made this the other day.  Very unusual and tasty.  Thank you. 

[kate2357]

---

@rms1954 wrote:

@kate2357I made this the other day.  Very unusual and tasty.  Thank you. 

---

@rms1954 

I'm glad you gave this a try. It's a bit different than a tradition sauerbraten because it uses cut up beef (stew meat) vs a roast. But I think the flavors are really good and it's a nice change from a traditional beef stew.

Thank you for sharing your experience.