Sauerbraten
Meat preparation
1. Wipe steak and season with salt and pepper. Put in glass bowl. Add chopped onions, carrot, celery, cloves, peppercorns, vinegar and bay leaves and pour over meat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 4 days.
2. On fifth day remove from marinade and sauté meat in bacon drippings and 1 tbsp butter until seared. Cover with marinade and bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for 3 hours.
3. Melt remaining 5 tbsp of butter in a pan and stir in flour to form a roux. Blend in sugar and brown. Stir roux into liquid in the pot. Add raisins.
4. Cover and simmer until meat is tender, for 1 hour.
5. Place meat on a serving platter. Stir crushed gingersnaps into the pot juices and cook until thickened. Pour over meat.
6. Serve with potato dumplings, apple sauce and red cabbage (optional).
Potato Dumplings
Peel and mash the potatoes. Add eggs and flour, form mixture into little balls. Cool for 1 hour.
Cook the dumplings in salted water for 3 minutes until they rise to the top. Serve hot with melted butter and bread crumbs.
Source: German National Tourist Board