Sauerbraten

Ingredients:

3 to 3 ½ lbs. heel of round, rump or sirloin tip roast

1 cup red wine vinegar

1½ cups water

1 onion, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

5 whole cloves

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp (3 tsp) salt

4 peppercorns or ¼ tsp pepper

2 tbsp oil or shortening

2 tbsp brown sugar

6 gingersnaps, crushed

Procedure:

Place meat in glass bowl. Add remaining ingredients except oil, brown sugar and gingersnaps. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 24 to 48 hours, turning meat several times to season evenly. Remove meat from marinade; drain well. In Dutch oven, brown meat in hot oil on all sides. Add 1 ½ cups of strained marinade. Cover and simmer 2 ½ to 3 hours until tender. Remove meat to heated platter. Spoon fat off of juices. Add brown sugar and gingersnaps to juice. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to boil. If necessary, thin with water or remaining marinade. Pour over meat. Serve with potato pancakes, potato dumplings or boiled potatoes.