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German-Style Pot Roast {Sauerbraten}
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German-Style Pot Roast {Sauerbraten}

Red wine vinegar, apple cider and sweet pickling spices bring robust flavor to beef roast. Slow crock pot cooking achieves rich traditional flavor in a few hours without having to spend days marinating the roast prior to cooking.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time5 hrs 15 mins
Total Time5 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 6 people
Author: Terri @ that's some good cookin'

Ingredients

  • 4 pound chuck roast or eye of round roast
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, medium dice
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup unsalted beef stock
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 (6 ounces) can tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup corn starch

Instructions

  • Sprinkle the roast liberally with salt and pepper; rub into roast. Heat a braiser or deep frying pan over medium high heat. Add oil and swirl pan to coat bottom with oil. Brown the roast on both sides. Note: When browning, the roast will naturally release from the bottom of the pan when it has browned enough. If the roast sticks to the pan when attempting to turn it over, then it is not yet ready to be turned.
  • While the roast is browning, place garlic and onions in bottom of crock pot. Place browned roast on top of onions and garlic. Place bay leaves around roast.
  • Deglaze braiser or frying pan with 1/2 cup beef stock. Add remaining beef stock, apple cider, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Stir or whisk until ingredients are well mixed. Pour over roast in crock.
  • Cover crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours, until roast is tender.
  • Remove roast to platter and set aside. Mix together water and corn starch until smooth. Add just enough slurry to liquid in crock pot to thicken to desired consistency. It may not take all of the cornstarch slurry. Allow to cook in crock on high until of desired consistency.

Notes

After being cooked, a beef chuck roast will be fork tender and will break apart in chunky pieces. An eye of round roast, on the other hand, will generally stay more intact and can be sliced.