Sauerbraten, American Style
The snowpocalypse continues to disrupt life in DC. Neighborhood streets remain single lane (an invitation to unhappy fender benders). Today I got my first US mail delivery in a week. Bills. Most of the snow hasn't melted. Temperatures are below freezing at night so there's an icing problem in the mornings. Life is hell.
And that's what kitchens are for. The other day as I was passing the meat counter at Whole Foods I noticed some very nice looking — unusually nice looking — chuck roasts. "Where are these from?," I ask. "Local," the butcher says. "Where local, exactly, could you tell me, please?," I say. She disappeared for a minute. "From Maine," she says. "But Maine," I say, "isn't local." She stares at me. Anyhow, they are exceptionally nice so I take one. Meanwhile, I've miscommunicated with Sharon about dinner so she's gotten her own provisions. 'What about Sauerbraten?' I think to myself. So I put the roast in a large plastic bag with two thirds of a bottle of Guigal Côtes du Rhone, for a day and a half.
Dried off, floured, with salt, fresh ground black pepper, and garlic powder, browned in extra virgin olive oil on each of its six sides, removed from the pot, a heavy pot with lid. Flour added to make a roux. Water added, then a few teaspoons of organic tomato paste and some dehydrated organic onion flakes. Stir till bubbling. Roast back into the pot — the liquid about half way up the roast's side — covered, and pot into the oven at 325°. Cook for 2 ½ hours. Let rest for a few minutes. Slice thin with gravy direct from the pot. Unbelievably tender. Not dry. Outstandingly delicious. Probably worth a Michelin half star...
On the side, small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, steamed whole, then finished with olive oil and butter in a frying pan to crisp the outsides. And some boiled broccoli. (I don't know why people don't like broccoli, I can't get enough of the stuff.) Store bought cherry pie for dessert. Dinner served with the Guigal Côtes du Rhone, 2006. When will Guigal put out their 2007, I wonder? That should be an exceptional value!!
The winter blues fade away...
Posted by George Kenney on February 16, 2010 11:10 PM 
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Comments
Delicious even down here in the South where we never get the Winter blahs....
Posted by: Richard Greener | February 18, 2010 12:58 AM