Sauerbraten (German Pot Roast with Tangy Gravy)

• 1 large Yellow onion
• 1 large Carrot
• 2 pieces Celery
• 500 ml Red wine vinegar
• 2 pieces Bay leaves
• 1 tsp Black peppercorns
• 1 kg Beef roast, for pot roasting
• 2 tbsp Sunflower oil
• 600 ml Beef stock, hot
• 4 sprigs Fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp Light brown sugar
• 60 g Ginger biscuits
• 1 tbsp Plain flour

1. Slice the onion and cut the carrot and celery into chunky pieces. In a large bowl, combine the red wine vinegar with 250 ml water, the bay leaves and peppercorns, then add the vegetables. Submerge the beef, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning once or twice if you can.
2. Lift the beef from the marinade and pat dry. Strain the marinade, reserving the liquid and vegetables separately, and discard the bay leaves. Heat the sunflower oil in a Dutch oven over a medium-high heat and brown the beef well on all sides.
3. Add the reserved vegetables to the pot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to take the raw edge off. Pour in 400 ml of the reserved marinade liquid and the hot beef stock, then add the thyme sprigs and light brown sugar; cover and refrigerate any unused marinade liquid until the gravy-finishing step. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on the lowest heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until the beef is very tender.
4. Transfer the beef to a board and loosely cover while you finish the sauce. Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan, pressing on the vegetables to extract flavour, then simmer briskly for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly reduced. Crumble the ginger biscuits into the sauce and whisk until dissolved and lightly thickened.
5. If you want the gravy tangier, add a splash of the unused marinade liquid kept in the fridge, then bring the gravy to a full rolling boil, stirring, before tasting; do not add any more raw-contact marinade after this. In a small bowl, mix the plain flour with 2 tbsp cold water to make a smooth paste, whisk it into the gravy and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the flour taste is gone and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Slice the beef and serve with the sauce spooned over.

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