This traditional German pot roast is typically marinated for several days before it is cooked. So while it's delicious, it requires forethought in order to cook it. My easy version of Sauerbraten is a slow cooker shortcut that you can eat any time.
This slow cooker sauerbraten recipe uses the spices found in the traditional roast and results in very tender beef. It has the same rich and flavors of the sweet and sour gravy that makes it so delicious.
If you love slow cooker meals, be sure to try my Chicken Paprika or Teriyaki Beef.
The ingredients for shortcut slow cooker Sauerbraten are:
- flank steak ( you can use top round)
- cornstarch or Arrowroot powder
- wine vinegar ( I used pomegranate vinegar)
- red wine
- beef broth
- chopped onion
- sugar or sugar substitute
- garlic
- ground cloves
- ground ginger
- bay leaves
- salt and pepper
How to make Slow Cooker Sauerbraten
I used flank steak for the short cut Sauerbraten. I usually try to slice the meat when it is still slightly frozen because it makes it easier to cut. After tossing the beef with the cornstarch, you just dump everything into the slow cooker and let it cook long and slow, about 5-6 hours. So easy! The beef will tenderize and the flavors will deliciously meld together.
How to make Mashed Potato Balls
Sauerbraten is usually served with Kartoffelkloesse, which are traditonal German dumplings. Since I was going for a simpler weeknight meal, I chose to make a baked potato ball, using some leftover mashed potatoes. You can just as easily use mashed potatoes as a side dish and then make the baked potato balls the next night if you have leftovers. Or serve over egg noodles or mashed cauliflower.
Most of the potato ball recipes typically fry the potato balls to get them crispy. I chose to bake mine and they came out perfectly delicious. After forming the cold mashed potatoes into a ball, they are dipped in egg and then rolled into the spiced breadcrumbs.
The ingredients for the baked mashed potato balls are:
- 1 ½ cups mashed potatoes
- Panko bread crumbs
- egg
- ground ginger
- ground cloves
- olive oil spray
These potato balls were so easy to make. Using the leftover mashed potatoes, form into a ball. Combine the breadcrumbs with the spices. Roll potato balls into beaten eggs and then into the breadcrumb mixture.
The breadcrumbs take on even more of the Sauerbraten's flavor by adding ginger and cloves to the crumbs. Bake for about 20 minutes in a 375°F oven.
You can easily enjoy the flavors of the traditional Sauerbraten dinner with this non-traditional shortcut slow cooker version.
Serve Sauerbraten with roasted broccoli as shown. You can bake it at the same time as the potato balls. or try Fried Red Cabbage or Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts.
Also, I chose to serve my Sauerbraten over mashed cauliflower to lessen the carbohydrates.
Slow Cooker Shortcut Sauerbraten
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 ½ hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: German
Description
One pot cooking combined with dump and go cannot be any easier for a delicious dinner. This is a simple weeknight shortcut for Sauerbraten made in your slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. flank steak, sliced thin (you can use top round steak)
- ¼ - ⅓ cup cornstarch ( I used Arrowroot powder to lower carbs)
- ¾ cup wine vinegar (I used pomegranate vinegar)
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons sugar ( if your wine is on the drier side, add another tablespoon of sugar to taste)*
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 2 -3 whole bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Potato Balls
- 1 ½ cups mashed potatoes
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs ( you can use regular breadcrumbs)
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 1 beaten egg
Instructions
- Coat sliced beef in cornstarch ( use a large. bowl or ziplock bag)
- Pour all ingredients into the slow cooker. Mix to combine
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours until beef is tender.
- While beef is cooking, prepare the potato balls
- Preheat oven to 375°F,
- Add ginger and cloves to breadcrumbs.
- Form mashed potatoes into a golf ball sized balls
- Roll potato balls in the egg and then into the breadcrumbs.
- I repeated rolling in crumbs until the potato balls were fully covered.
- Spray a parchment lined baking sheet with olive oil spray and place potato balls on it.
- Spray them with the olive oil spray to help with crispiness.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes, turning the potato balls after 10 minutes.
- Bake for a few more minutes if you'd like them extra crispy.
Notes
*You can also use skirt steak or top sirloin in this recipe.
*Substitute more beef broth if you don't want to use red wine.
*I used Swerve sugar substitute to lower carb count.
Keywords: Slow Cooker Shortcut Sauerbraten
Georgia says
We love this meal. Very easy.
★★★★★
Deb Belsha says
Yay!!
Katie says
The sauce was so good. The meat was super tender loved it.
★★★★★