Sauerbraten

Start the marinade

Submerge the beef in the vinegar, water, onion, carrot, juniper, cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns in a non-reactive container, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours to start.

Sear the beef

Lift the beef from the marinade, pat it completely dry, and sear it in hot oil on all sides until deeply browned, about 10 minutes.

Strain the marinade

Strain the marinade through a sieve, reserving the liquid and discarding the solids.

Braise until tender

Return the beef to the pot, pour over the strained marinade, cover, and braise on low heat until fork-tender, about 3 hours.

Rest the meat

Lift the beef onto a board and rest it, tented with foil, for 15 minutes before slicing.

Thicken the gravy

Stir the crushed gingersnaps, raisins and brown sugar into the braising liquid and simmer until it thickens into a glossy gravy, about 10 minutes.

Slice and serve

Slice the beef thinly against the grain and serve with the gravy, potato dumplings or spätzle and red cabbage.