Crock-pot Sauerbraten

Sauerbraten is a traditional marinated German pot roast.

Crock-pot Sauerbraten is a modern version of the traditional.

One of these sauerbraten recipes is marinated as per tradition the other is not.

Marinated Crock-pot Sauerbraten with Spaetzle

1 (4 lb.) round rump roast
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 to 2 c. crushed gingersnaps
2 c. water
2 c. red wine vinegar
2 medium onions, sliced thin
1 large lemon, sliced thin
12 whole cloves, crushed
8 peppercorns, crushed
6 bay leaves, crushed
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Place the rump roast in a porcelain crock (crock-pot will do).

In a large saucepan, combine the water, red wine vinegar, sliced onions, sliced lemon, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, sugar, salt and ginger. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour the mixture over the rump roast. Cover the crock and place it in the refrigerator for 72 to 96 hours. Remove occasionally and turn roast, at least once a day.

Remove the roast, pat it dry and strain the marinade.

Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the roast on all sides.

Place the roast in the crock-pot and cover with the marinade. Cook on high for 5 to 6 hours.

Remove the roast from the crock-pot.

Pour the liquid into a saucepan and simmer slowly, adding the crushed gingersnaps until the gravy is smooth and thickened to desired consistency.

Serve with this Crock-pot Sauerbraten with spaetzle.

Spaetzle

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. Salt

Mix the eggs, milk, flour and salt. Place on a breadboard and cut with a spatula into salted water. Cook 1 minute after the spaetzles rise to the top of the water.

Savory Crock-pot Sauerbraten Recipe

1 chuck roast (about 4 lb.)
Salt and pepper
2 onions, sliced
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed Beef broth
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. cider vinegar
8 gingersnaps
Noodles

Sprinkle the roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Place the roast in a crock-pot. Add the onion, broth, brown sugar and vinegar. Cover tightly and cook 5 to 6 hours on high.

Remove the roast and set aside. Add the crumbled gingersnaps to the sauce in the crock-pot. Stir until the sauce thickens.

Slice the sauerbraten and spoon the sauce over the slices.

Serve this Crock-pot Sauerbraten with cooked noodles.

Buy Beef Online

Now why would anyone want to buy beef online? Beef is readily available at the supermarket. There’s only one answer: Quality! In order to compete with the supermarkets mail order beef has to be the best.

(Don’t buy beef online for Crock-pot Sauerbraten. Or for that matter any old fashioned pot roast dinner. Supermarket beef is fine.)

In fact there are some types of gourmet beef that you can’t get except online. Kobe beef, grass fed beef, dry aged beef? I’ll bet you’ve never seen those in the supermarket. The only way to get them is to buy beef online.

Kobe Beef

Kobe beef is from the Japanese Waygu cattle. The marbling, flavor and tenderness of Kobe beef puts it grades above USDA prime beef. But you can only get Kobe beef when you buy beef online.

Grass Fed Beef

Grass is the natural food of the beef animal. And some people feel the flavor of grass fed beef is far superior to feed lot beef. This is gourmet beef at it’s best. And once again you can only get grass fed beef when you buy beef online.

Dry Aged Beef

Dry aged beef is how beef was done in the good old days. The beef is hung in a controlled temperature and humidity environment and allowed to age for almost a month.

Why can’t you get dry aged beef at the super market? Expense! Dry aged beef loses approximately 1/3 of it weight during the drying process. Today’s wet aged beef brings more profit to the processor.

Guess what? You can only get dry aged beef when you buy beef online! Dry aged beef is truly gourmet beef.

Old Fashioned Pot Roast

Certainly you wouldn’t want to buy beef online for old fashioned pot roast. Mail order beef is for special occasions. Your Sunday pot roast dinner is fine with a chuck roast from the supermarket.

Crock-pot Sauerbraten is fine with supermarket beef also. As any old fashioned pot roast dinner would be.

On that special occasion, such as boss for dinner night, is when this beef will make an impression. My thoughts would be running along the line of a Prime rib dinner with sure enough USDA prime beef. You can only get USDA prime beef when you buy beef online. USDA choice is the best you can get at the supermarket.

Enjoy Crock-pot Sauerbraten with your family with beef from the grocery. But when you really want to impress buy beef online.

Enjoy the Crock-pot Sauerbraten!