Rhenish Sauerbraten (Marinated Pot Roast)

Preparation

1. Bring all the marinade ingredients, without the meat, to the boil, simmer for 5 minutes and leave to cool completely.
2. Trim any excess fat off the joint, put it in a dish or a large freezer bag and cover completely with the cooled marinade. Seal tightly and marinate in the fridge for at least a week, turning now and then. The longer the marinade works, the stronger the flavour of the meat.
3. Take the joint out of the marinade, strain the marinade through a sieve and keep it. Pat the meat dry and brown it well on all sides in the hot fat. Add the chopped onions, season with salt and pepper and let them brown.
4. Place the broken-up Printen and 3 tablespoons of sultanas around the joint, add the beet syrup and roast briefly. Deglaze with a good half of the marinade, cover the pot and braise over low heat for about 2 hours until the meat is tender, turning it in between and gradually pouring in the rest of the marinade.
5. Remove the joint and keep warm, and purée the sauce. If it is not thick enough, mix a little flour with cold water and stir it in. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of sultanas and simmer for another 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; the sauce should be very dark, so use caramel colouring to help if necessary.
6. Slice the joint and serve with the sauce. Red cabbage and dumplings or boiled potatoes go well with it.

Drink with it

• Red wine · excellent match

  Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) from the Ahr or Baden, with a little oak

  Fruity acidity and soft tannins stand up to the sweet-and-sour sauce, and the cherry fruit suits the raisins and Printen.

  Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing ↗

• Dark beer · excellent match

  Altbier, cool

  The bitter, malty Alt picks up the roasted notes and the gingerbread spice, and its bitterness reins in the sweetness of the sauce.

  Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue ↗

• Herbal liqueur · excellent match

  Herbal bitters or herbal liqueur, neat, after the meal

  A stomach bitter after a heavy Sunday roast is a tradition on the Lower Rhine: bitter compounds and spice notes pick up the clove and juniper in the sauce and relieve the palate after meat and raisin sauce.

  What is Amaro? Understanding Italian bitter liqueurs ↗

• Fruit brandy · good match

  Zwetschgenwasser (plum brandy) or Obstler (fruit brandy), neat after the meal

  As a digestif, a clear, dry fruit brandy clears the heaviness of braised meat and raisin sauce from the palate.

  What is Calvados? Apple brandy with origin ↗