Pickled Beef -- Sauerbraten

Note from Cheri: This recipe, based on those served in the Great Lakes Midwest region, is from Betty Fussell's wonderful book on authentic American regional cuisine, I Hear America Cooking. Betty says that the addition of sugar to pickled meats is a twentieth century addition. While cookbooks dating from the 1800s call for powdered ginger, Betty prefers the livelier form of raw ginger. She has also kept sweeteners to a minimum as the ginger snaps provide thickening as well as flavor. Betty also had this to say about the quality of vinegar used for this recipe. "As with any marinated meat, the quality of the vinegar is as important as the quality of the beef. If you use a harsh vinegar, the sauce will be harsh. If you use a gentler sour and full bodied wine, you'll end with a finely flavored meat that tastes as good cold as hot." Click here for my interview with author and celebrity chef Betty Fussell, as well as more of her recipes and an excerpt from her latest book My Kitchen Wars.

Marinade 1 C red wine vinegar 1/2 C full bodied red wine 1/2 C water 1 onion, sliced thin 4 slices fresh ginger 6 juniper berries, crushed 6 whole black peppercorns, crushed 4 whole cloves 4 whole bay leaves 4 lb. beef roast (top or bottom round work well) 4 T (1/2 stick) butter or pork fat 1/2 C onions, chopped 1/2 C carrots, chopped 1/2 C celery, chopped 2 T flour 4-6 ginger snaps (molasses cookies)

Serves 8-10 Bring vinegar, wine, water, sliced onion and seasonings to a boil and then let cool completely. Place roast in a plastic bag and pour in the cooled marinade. Refrigerate for 3-4 days, turning the meat over at least once a day. Remove the meat from the marinade, pat it dry, and brown it on all sides in the butter or fat. Transfer meat to a casserole and brown the vegetables in the same fat. Sprinkle with flour and add the marinade. Bring to a simmer, then pour the sauce over the meat. Cover casserole tightly and keep at a bare simmer on top of the stove or in the oven at 325° F for 2 - 2 1/2 hours. When meat is tender, remove from the sauce, put on a warm platter, and cover with foil to keep warm while finishing the sauce. Add the gingersnaps to the sauce and purée in a blender. If the sauce is too thin, thicken with more snaps, if too thick, thin with red wine. Simmer a few minutes to mingle the flavors, and pour over the meat.