Slow Cooker Sauerbraten
2 Comments Jul 17, 2024
Updated Jun 13, 2025
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Introduce a classic German dish to your family and friends with this Slow Cooker Sauerbraten recipe. It features a hearty beef roast, vinegar, gingersnaps and more. This is a dish everyone is sure to enjoy!
Recipe Highlights
- Sauerbraten is a traditional German pot roast.
- It consists of marinated meat that turns out tender and flavorful.
- This is perfect for Octoberfest , Crocktober – or frankly any day of the year.
- Finished with a homemade gingersnap gravy.
Sauerbraten Ingredients
This unusual blend of ingredients will make an AMAZING roast dinner. Find the full recipe amounts in the recipe card below the images.
- Marinade Base: A tangy blend of vinegar, broth, aromatics, and warm spices gives this dish its signature flavor.
- Beef Roast: A lean cut like bottom round or chuck becomes fork-tender after hours of slow simmering.
- Gingersnaps: Crushed cookies are the not-so-secret ingredient that adds a hint of sweetness and thickens the sauce.
- Pickling Spices: Whole cloves, peppercorns, and bay leaf bring traditional sauerbraten depth.
- Finishing Gravy: A simple flour slurry turns the cooking liquid into a rich, velvety sauce.
How to make Crockpot Sauerbraten
- Marinate the beef overnight in a mixture of red wine vinegar, broth, onion, garlic, spices, and brown sugar for the best flavor.
- Brown the roast in a hot skillet, then transfer it to the slow cooker with the marinade and crushed gingersnaps.
- Slow cook on low until the beef is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
- Strain and thicken the cooking liquid into a flavorful gravy, then slice or shred the beef and serve with your favorite German-inspired sides.
Sarah’s Notes & Variations
This German delight is great as-is. You can make these changes and still have great results:
- Apple cider vinegar can be used in place of red wine vinegar.
- Not browning the meat is okay, but browning does add depth of flavor to the roast and gravy.
- Carrots and potatoes can be added to slow cooker at the beginning of the cooking time, remove them while you make the gravy.
- Don’t have gingersnap cookies? Add a teaspoon of ground ginger (or one tablespoon of chopped fresh) and add an additional tablespoon of brown sugar.
Ways to serve Sauerbraten
Here are the ways we serve this roast to our guests and family:
- Slice or shred the beef and spoon over the rich homemade gravy.
- Serve with traditional sides like red cabbage (try my slow cooker red cabbage), mashed potatoes, potato dumplings, egg noodles, or spaetzle. We also love pairing it with slow cooker hot German potato salad and a spoonful of slow cooker cranberry sauce for contrast.
- Add a few slices of French bread or soft dinner rolls to soak up all that flavorful gravy.
Featured Comment
“I made this for an octoberfest party with slider rolls it was delicious.”
– Susan
Slow Cooker Sauerbraten
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. beef roast, such as bottom round or chuck
- ⅔ cup red wine vinegar
- ⅔ cup beef broth
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 6-8 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
- ¾ cup gingersnaps, crushed
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Instructions
- NOTE BEFORE STARTING – Marination Time: For best results, allow the beef to marinate overnight. This not only tenderizes the beef but also infuses it with the traditional flavors of sauerbraten.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, beef broth, sliced onion, minced garlic, brown sugar, whole cloves, bay leaf, salt, and black peppercorns until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
- Place the beef roast in a suitable resealable plastic bag or a container. Pour the marinade mixture over it, making sure the beef is well coated. Seal or cover and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, flipping the meat occasionally to ensure even marination.
- After marinating, remove the beef from the marinade, reserving the liquid and patting the beef dry. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides, approximately 2-3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker. Pour the reserved marinade over it, including the onions, garlic, and spices. Add the crushed gingersnaps over the roast. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the beef is tender and easily pulls apart.
- To make the gravy, about 30 minutes before serving, carefully remove the beef from the slow cooker and cover it with foil to keep warm. Strain the liquids from the slow cooker into a saucepan, discarding the solids. Skim off any fat from the surface. Mix the flour and water in a small bowl until smooth, then gradually whisk this slurry into the strained liquids. Simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a gravy, roughly 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Slice or shred the beef and serve it draped in the homemade gravy
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More Slow Cooker Roast Recipes:
From the classic Crockpot Rump Roast to the bold, buttery flavors of Mississippi Pot Roast, these slow cooker meals are perfect for cozy nights. Try my Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches, which are a classic diner meal.
If you like a hint of sweetness, both Coca Cola Pot Roast and Georgia Pot Roast deliver tender beef with rich, unexpected flavor. Another flavorful pot roast we love is dill pickle pot roast.
Even lean cuts turn out great in the crockpot—Crockpot London Broil is proof you don’t need a fancy cut for a flavorful, satisfying meal.
Easy to prepare. I let the roast marinate for about a day. My roast was large, 4 lbs., so it took a bit longer to cook. I did cook it on low. It took about 10 hours to cook to tenderness. I made the gravy by straining the vegetables and spices out of the juice. I poured the juice into a pot and added my flour and water mixture. The gravy was a little too rich, so I added 1 cup of water to make it more palatable. Served it with potato dumplings, bacon fried green cabbage and onions and a side salad. This meal was FANTASTIC!!
I made this for an octoberfest party with slider rolls it was delicious.