Rhineland Sour Roast with Dumplings

Ingredients

• 2 onions
• 200 g celery root
• 2 carrots
• 500 ml dry red wine
• 100 ml red wine vinegar
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 Cloves
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 1 tsp juniper berries
• 1.2 kg beef stew roast (e.g., from the shoulder)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Tbsp clarified butter
• 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 50 g Raisins
• 1 tsp beetroot juice

Instructions

1. 1.

   Peel and dice the onions, celery root, and carrots. Place them in a pot with the wine, vinegar, and about 250 ml water. Add the spices and bring to a boil, then let cool.

2. 2.

   Rinse the meat, pat dry, and place it in a large bowl or pot. Pour the brine over it so that the meat is covered; if necessary add more red wine. Cover and refrigerate for 2–3 days, turning the meat 2–3 times during this period.

3. 3.

   Remove the meat from the brine, pat dry, season with salt and pepper, and brown it all around in hot clarified butter in a roasting pan. Remove again.

4. 4.

   Strain the brine through a sieve and brown the drained vegetables in the same pan. Briefly sauté the tomato paste, then deglaze with some of the brine. Return the meat to the pan so that it is about halfway submerged in liquid. Cover and simmer gently for 2½–3 hours, turning the roast occasionally and adding liquid as needed.

5. 5.

   Take the meat out of the pan and wrap it in foil. Strain the sauce through a sieve and reduce further if desired or add more liquid. For extra thickness, thicken with starch to taste. Add the raisins to the sauce, let simmer for a few minutes, then sweeten with beetroot juice. Season with salt and pepper and serve with sliced roast.

6. 6.

   Serve with potato dumplings as desired.