Sour Beef and Potato Dumplings

Posted by Tired Twin Mom at recipegoldmine.com 6/14/01 8:33:20 am

I hope you enjoy this recipe. My Grandmother was German, so this is one of my family's favorite dishes. You have to like vinegar to like this recipe. It is a great deal of work, but it is worth the trouble.

Sour Beef
1 (5 pound) boneless chuck roast
1 tablespoon salt
2 large onions (thick slices)
1 quart Majestic or Heinz dark vinegar
1 quart water (just use the empty vinegar bottle)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 can pickling spice
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 box ginger snaps

Potato Dumplings
3 pounds potatoes
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

Night Before:
Mix in bowl all Sour Beef ingredients and cover (DO NOT REFRIGERATE).

Next Day:
Take meat out of bowl and put in large pot, then brown it on both sides. Take all ingredients and juices and pour back over meat. Put cover over it and let simmer about 2 hours.

Take meat out and strain gravy essence and place the strained gravy essence back in large pot.

Making Gravy:
Put 2 tablespoons flour in frying pan and keep stirring until it gets light brown. After it browns add the flour gravy to the gravy essence in large pot. Let simmer 20 minutes. Place meat back in large pot with gravy. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes and turn off.

Potato Dumplings:
Boil potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon salt (about 20 minutes or until fork goes in easy). After potatoes are done, mash the potatoes and add butter. Then let potatoes cool. Add eggs one at a time and beat. Add pepper. (Gradually add flour enough to keep the ball together without it falling apart) roll in hand. Boil water with salt. After the water has started to boil, add dumplings one at a time. Boil uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes. When dumplings rise to the top they are done. You may want to take dumplings out as each one rises to the top depending on how many you have in pot.

When everything is done. Place meat on a plate and cut up (usually you can pull apart with a fork, its so tender). Put gravy in bowl. Put dumplings in bowl.

Enjoy!