Gút Lembratten

Gút Lembratten as made for Christmas Dinner 2023 using a Rump Roast.

Good Roast Beef

This recipe was chosen as the inspiration to make a Sauerbraten style Roast Beef.

Source: Das Kochbuck der Sabina Welserin, a 16th century collection of German recipes

Original Recipe:

Ain gút brates zú machen

Nim kelberis oder ain lembratten von ainem ochſen, legs jn ain wein jber nacht, darnach ſtecks jn an ain ſpis, thú jn dan jn ain haffen, thú daran ain gúte fleſchbrie, zwiffel, wein, gewirtz, pfeffer, jmber, negellen vnnd laſβ woll daran ſieden, verſaltz es nit.

Translation: (Translated by Valoise Armstrong)

To make a good roast

Take veal or a sirloin of beef, lay it overnight in wine, afterwards stick it on a spit. Put it then in a pot. Put good broth therein, onions, wine, spices, pepper, ginger and cloves and let it cook therein. Do not over salt it.

My Interpretation:

2-3 pounds London broil or Rump Roast

2 whole garlic cloves, peeled

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. ginger

½ tsp. cloves

½ cup red wine

½ cup vinegar

½ cup chopped onion

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp. sugar

½ cup beef stock

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Place meet in glass bowl or casserole. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over beef. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinade in refrigerator for up to 72 hours.

If desired, in a large pan, sear the meat using the olive oil over a medium heat, set the meat aside.

If using London Broil, broil meat on low for 20 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes.

If using Rump Roast, place in covered roasting pan and roast for about 20 minutes per pound at 325°F.

Notes:

With the ability to safely refrigerate the meat for an extended period of time, I can let the meat marinade for 3 days.

London Broil and Rump Roast favor different cooking methods hence the optional instructions.

You can make a sauce from the marinade by adding in finely grated fresh bread crumbs, about ¼ to ½ cup depending on desired consistency. Place the marinade in a sauce pan (you can use the same sauce pan that you seared the meat in) over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Add the bread crumbs a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Many of the sauces in this time period use bread crumbs as a thickening agent. See my section on Sauces .

References:

Welserin Sabina Das Kochbuch der Sabina Welserin [Book]/ ed. Stopp Hugo.- Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, 1553.- 1980: p. 173.- A Transliteration and translation of the 16th century German cooking

manuscript..- ISBN 3-533-02905-0.

"Das Kochbuch Der Sabina Welserin." Recreational Medievalism. Trans. Valoise Armstrong. David D. Friedman, 29 Oct. 1998. Web. 27 Sept. 2012. <http://daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/Cookbooks/Sabrina_Welserin.html>.

Welserin, Sabina. "Das Kochbuch Der Sabina Welserin (c. 1553)." Monumenta Culinaria Et Diaetetica Historica. Thomas Gloning, 26 Aug. 2006. Web. 27 Sept. 2012. <http://www.uni-giessen.de/gloning/tx/sawe.htm>

Please check out the Golden Dragons Tavern video of making this recipe