German Sauerbraten and Potato Dumplings

A delicious old-world dish from Germany. From Taste of Home. 

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 beef top round or rump roast (about 4 pounds) 

2-1/2 cups water

2 cups cider vinegar

2 medium onions, sliced 

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons mixed pickling spices

1 teaspoons whole peppercorns

8 whole cloves

2 bay leaves

2 Tablespoons olive oil

14-16 gingersnaps. finely crushed

Directions:

Combine salt and ginger; rub over roast. Place in a deep glass bowl (not metal). In a saucepan combine water, vinegar, onions, sugar, seasonings; bring to a boil. Pour over roast; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days. Turning twice a day.

Remove roast, reserving the marinade; pat roast dry. In a large Dutch oven brown the roast on all sides in olive oil over medium-high heat.

Strain marinade , reserving half of the onions and seasonings. Pour 1 cup of reserved marinade and reserved onions and seasonings over roast (cover and reserve the remaining marinade). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3 hours or until meat is tender.

Strain the cooking liquid, discarding the onions and seasoning. Measure liquid; if necessary, add enough reserved marinade to equal 3 cups. Pour into a saucepan and bring to a full rolling boil, boil for 1 minute. Add the gingersnaps. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until gravy is thickened. slice roast and serve with gravy.  

 

Potato Dumplings:

3-4 pounds starchy potatoes (russet or Yukon)

2 to 3 eggs  

1/2 to 1 cup all-purpose flour 

Salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup chopped curly parsley

In a large pot, boil potatoes in salted water wit the skins on. Peel and process through a rice (if you don't have a ricer, use the back of a spoon to smash potatoes through a sieve). Let cool completely.

Refrigerate.

The next day, about 30 minutes before the roast is finished, set a large pot of salted water to boil.

To the cooled riced potatoes add eggs and 8 to 14 tablespoons of flour. Also, add salt, nutmeg and parsley. 

Using your hand form the potatoes into balls between the size of golf and tennis balls.

Add the potato balls to the boiling water, but do not let the water continue to boil (keep at a simmer). 

When they float to the top, they are done. About 15 minutes.

Serve with the roast and gravy over the top.