Classic German Beef Braised in Red Wine Sauce · PrimedTable
German🥩 Meat
Classic German Beef Braised in Red Wine Sauce
⏱ 170 min🍽 Serves 4
The perfect classic German braised beef roast—juicy, tender, and full of flavour. Slowly braised in the oven with aromatic red wine, vegetables, and spices until meltingly tender. Features a robust red wine sauce enriched with the braising liquid and thickened lightly with cornstarch. Ideal for Sunday dinners, holiday meals, and family gatherings.
▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.
1
Remove the beef from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature (about 2 hours). Gently peel away the outer membrane using a cloth, using a knife if needed. Keep the fat and connective tissue intact, as they will convert to gelatin during braising, making the meat tender and enriching the sauce.
2
Generously salt the beef and let it sit for several hours or while you prepare the remaining ingredients. The salt will penetrate the meat gradually without drying it out.
3
Prepare the roasting vegetables: onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Peel and cut into evenly sized small pieces. Avoid cutting too small to prevent them from burning during cooking.
4
Spread a thin layer of mustard over the beef and massage it evenly across the entire surface.
5
Heat a braising pan on the stovetop and add vegetable oil. Once hot, place the beef in and brown it on all sides until golden.
6
Remove the beef. Reduce heat to about three-quarters strength and add the prepared vegetables. Sauté gently until lightly browned, being careful not to burn them as this will make the sauce bitter.
7
Add garlic and tomato paste, and sauté briefly to develop the flavours.
8
Deglaze the pan generously with dry red wine, allowing it to reduce and almost completely evaporate to concentrate the flavours. Repeat this process once more.
9
Season the beef with black pepper (wash your hands first), then return it to the braising pan.
10
Pour in water or broth (about 1 litre) and add a pinch of salt. You can use beef, poultry, or vegetable broth, but plain water works well as the beef releases plenty of flavour.
11
Place bay leaves, allspice berries, juniper berries, cloves, and star anise (if using) into a spice sachet and tie it closed. Add the sachet to the pan. If you plan to strain the sauce after braising, you can skip the sachet and add the spices directly.
12
Cover the pan, bring to a boil, then place it in a preheated 160°C (fan-forced) oven. Braise without a meat thermometer for the first 1.5 hours to ensure the lid sits properly and seals well.
13
After 1.5 hours, check the internal temperature (should be around 67°C). Gently turn the beef to ensure all parts are submerged in the braising liquid. Reinsert the thermometer, add fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs, cover, and continue braising.
14
Continue braising until the internal temperature reaches approximately 85°C, which typically takes another 40–50 minutes depending on the size of the roast and oven characteristics. Remember to remove it a few degrees before the target temperature, as the meat will continue cooking while resting.
15
Once the target temperature is reached, remove the beef from the braising pan, discard the spice sachet and herbs, and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 15–30 minutes while you finish the sauce.
16
Prepare the sauce thickening mixture: blend cornstarch or potato starch with cold water until smooth. The sauce should have reduced by about half. Slowly add the starch mixture while stirring. Allow the sauce to boil gently for 2–5 minutes so the starch fully cooks and loses its raw flavour.
17
Season the sauce to taste with additional black pepper, salt, and a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity of the red wine. Taste and adjust as desired.
18
Slice the braised beef and pour the red wine sauce over it. You can strain the sauce for a smoother finish if desired. Serve alongside potatoes (dumplings, mashed), pasta, or German red cabbage.
PrimedTableBETA
