Sauerbraten — Vinegar-Braised Beef Rump with Gingersnap Gravy, Carrots & Onions

Ingredients

• 3 lb Beef Rump, in one piece
• 2 cups red wine vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 3 Carrots, sliced
• 3 Onions, sliced
• 10 juniper berries, crushed
• 6 cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp lard or oil
• ¼ cup crushed gingersnaps
• 2 tbsp raisins
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Bring the vinegar, water, half the Carrots and Onions, juniper, cloves, and bay to a boil, then cool completely. Submerge the Beef Rump and refrigerate 3 days, turning it once a day.
2. Lift the meat out, pat it very dry, and strain the marinade — keep every drop. Season the meat generously.
3. Sear it hard in the lard on all sides until dark brown, 10 minutes. A wet roast will never brown, which is why the drying matters.
4. Add the remaining Carrots and Onions and cook 5 minutes, then pour in 3 cups of the strained marinade. Cover and braise at 325°F (165°C) for 2½ to 3 hours, until a fork twists easily in the meat.
5. Move the roast to a board to rest. Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan, whisk in the crushed gingersnaps and raisins, and simmer 10 minutes until it thickens into a dark, sweet-sour gravy.
6. Slice the meat against the grain, ½ inch thick, and nap with the gravy. Serve with potato dumplings or red cabbage.