Limburg Sour Beef (Zoervleis)

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg (2½ lb) chuck roast, cut into 4 cm (1½ in) cubes
• 250 ml (1 cup) red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
• 250 ml (1 cup) water
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 whole cloves
• 6 juniper berries (optional; leave out if you can't find them)
• 1½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 40 g (3 tbsp) butter
• 3 tbsp apple butter (or Dutch appelstroop)
• 3 thick slices gingerbread or spice cake (about 100 g / 3½ oz), crumbled
• 1 tbsp brown sugar, if needed

Steps

1. Combine the vinegar, water, onions, bay, cloves and juniper in a bowl. Add the beef and marinate in the fridge overnight, or up to 2 days.
2. Lift out the beef and pat it dry; keep the marinade and onions.
3. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef in two batches, about 5 minutes each.
4. Add the onions from the marinade and cook 5 minutes. Pour in the marinade liquid and scrape up the browned bits.
5. Stir in the apple butter and crumble in the gingerbread; it dissolves and thickens the sauce.
6. Cover and braise on low heat for 2½ hours, stirring now and then, until the beef is very tender and the sauce is thick and dark.
7. Taste: it should be sweet and sour in balance. Add the brown sugar if it's too sharp. Remove the bay leaves and cloves.
8. Serve with fries (the Limburg way) or boiled potatoes, and apple sauce.

Notes

• Gingerbread: Dutch ontbijtkoek is traditional; any dense gingerbread, spice cake or even gingersnaps work.
• Make ahead: the beef marinates up to 2 days, and the stew is best the next day. Keeps 3 to 4 days; freezes 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot.
• Other cuts: shank or bottom round are also used in Limburg.
• Slow cooker: marinate and brown as written, then cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 to 5. Uncover on high for 30 minutes to thicken.
• Pair with: fries and apple sauce (the Limburg way).