Bergischer Sauerbraten

Total Time: 75 hrs Preparation Time: 72 hrs Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 50 g carrots
• 50 g celeriac
• 100 g onions
• 300 ml full-bodied red wine
• 30 ml balsamic vinegar
• 30 ml red wine vinegar
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries
• 3 cloves
• sea salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 800 g venison (something from the leg) or 800 g beef roast or 800 g horse meat (these don't have to be one whole chunk of meat, we usually do this with two pieces with the deer)
• 30 g lard or 30 g clearified butter
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 20 g apple butter or 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 liter beef stock (beef with beef or horse, game with deer) or 1 liter game stock (beef with beef or horse, game with deer)
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder (not drink mix, plain cocoa powder)
• 2 tablespoons cold butter

Recipe

• 1 peel and cube veggies in about 1 cm pieces.
• 2 in a big container with a lid, mix wine, vinegars, and spices (everything up to the sea salt), adding a pinch of sea salt and pepper.
• 3 add meat and veggies and put in refrigerator or other cool place at least 3 days and up to 10 days.
• 4 take out the meat and pat down with a towel.
• 5 heat lard or clarified butter on high heat in a lidded pot that is large enough for the meat, veggies and sauce and sear the meat on all sides.
• 6 pass the marinade through a colander, keeping both.
• 7 when the meat is seared on all sides, remove and add the veggies and spices and shortly roast.
• 8 add the tomato paste and apple butter, mix and allow to caramelize for 2 minutes.
• 9 add the marinade and stock.
• 10 put the meat back on, put on lid and braise it on low heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours (when the meat has reached 60°c/140°f).
• 11 remove meat and keep warm.
• 12 pass the liquid through colander and cook on medium-high, reducing sauce by half (about 20 minutes).
• 13 add cocoa powder and butter and salt and pepper to taste.
• 14 carve meat into slices and serve with sauce on top.