German Beef Roast Rinderbraten

The German Beef Roast or Rinderbraten (some say also Rindsbraten) is a typical dish for Sunday lunches, birthday dinners or any festive occasion. It is always served with gravy, comes with side dishes such as red cabbage, Brussels sprouts (or cauliflower with carrots and peas), dumplings, boiled potatoes or any pasta such as Spaetzle.

It is very delicious. In a so called “German Gasthaus”, a country inn, which is serving home made cooking, they will serve a Rinderbraten in a home made gravy, and if it is a good restaurant, they even will serve you home made Spätzle. Happy Cooking!

Ingredients German Beef Roast

(serves 4)
1.5 kg beef roast
2-3 tbsp mustard
Pepper, salt, ground mild paprika to taste
2-3 tbsp clarified butter
1 medium sized onion
1 leek
1/4 celery root and some celery leaves (if possible)
1-2 garlic cloves
1/8 liter red wine (red cooking wine)
1/4 liter vegetable or beef broth – How to make Vegetable Broth –
3 tbsp heavy cream and 3 tbsp corn starch

Cooking Instructions

The meat will become very tender if you spread a thin layer of mustard over the meat before you broil it. The recommended meat for this recipe is the beef shoulder.

– Wash meat, dry with kitchen paper towels.
– Add mustard into a bowl and mix it with salt, pepper, and paprika.
– Spread mustard evenly over the meat and massage it into the meat.
– Heat clarified butter in a skillet and brown the meat from all sides.
– Take meat out of the pot, wrap it in aluminum foil and keep it warm.
– Peel onion, cut it in rough pieces; clean leek and slice it; peel celery root and cut in cubes; cut celery stem in pieces; peel garlic and cut it in pieces.

– By using the same pot which you used for the meat (in the same fat) brown all the vegetable and glaze it with red wine.
– Let it cook for a little bit (some minutes on low heat); this will be your important meat stock. Now add the broth
– Place the meat back into the stewing pan and let it cook on low heat (stock should not boil) so it is braising.
– Put a lid on and let it braise for at least 90 minutes, better for 2 hours.
– Check frequently if there is enough liquid in the pan. If not add some more broth.
– When the meat is tender (it must be very tender) remove meat out of the pan, wrap it in aluminum foil and keep it warm. if it is not yet done, it needs more cooking time.

How to Make the Gravy
– Puree the vegetable with the stock.
– Add some more broth (vegetable broth, organic, home made) if the puree is too thick.
– Put cream into a small bowl, stir in starch, mix well so there wont be any clots.
– Bring stock to a boil and mix with starch (you should get a creamy gravy, not too thick and not too thin).
– Return the meat to the gravy.

THE CLASSIC SIDE DISHES Side Dishes – Dumplings, Spätzle and Red Cabbage
– Cook Spätzle per instructions – Go to the recipe for Making Spaetzle –

– You can get red Cabbage already cooked from the jar or make it from scratch – Go to the Red Cabbage Recipe –

– Dumplings can be made from the package or from scratch – Go to the Dumplings Half and Half Recipe –