Once again the Instant Pot saves the day! Make this Instant Pot Sauerbraten and you will never want to make it the traditional way ever again. It’s simple, tender, and absolutely delicious in a fraction of the time and effort of the traditional method of cooking.

Sauerbraten is a traditional German roast dish. It translates as sour roast because it’s made with pickling spices as well as traditional roast ingredients. It can be made with a variety of different meats, but for this recipe I use beef.

Traditionally, this dish would take anywhere from 3 days to marinate, and another 5 hours to prepare and cook. Using your Instant Pot you can shave hours off that time, making this dish much more accessible as a meal and not just a special occasion dish.

Instant Pot Sauerbraten Recipe

This Instant Pot Sauerbraten is definitely a roast recipe you will want to try. This comes out incredibly tender and has a flavor like no other roast dish you’ve had. The ginger snaps at the end give it such an aromatic and sweet quality that you will love!

So the first thing you’re going to ask me is, why did I not marinate the Sauerbraten for 3 days like any reasonable person would?

Well, I did. I marinated one batch for 3 days, another for 1.5 days and the third batch, I made with no marinating at all. And guess what?

They all tasted the same.

None of us four testers could pick out which Sauerbraten Recipe was which one. So of course, in the interests of #ruthlessefficiency, I have written the recipe so that you can slap it together on any day at all, with almost no pre-planning.

IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, TRY MY INSTANT POT MALAYSIAN BEEF RENDANG RECIPE!

I love cooking this in the Instant Pot because it’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner, but also nice enough to present to guests. Serve it with mashed potatoes or spaetzle for the most traditional pairing. Or, if you are doing low carb, you could serve it with riced cauliflower, or steamed veggies.

★ DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? DON’T FORGET TO GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW! JUST CLICK ON THE STARS IN THE RECIPE CARD TO RATE. 

4.25 from 8 votes

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Instant Pot German Sauerbraten

Once again the Instant Pot saves the day! Make this Instant Pot Sauerbraten and you will never want to make it the traditional way ever again. It's simple, tender, and absolutely delicious in a fraction of the time and effort of the traditional method of cooking.

Course Main Course

Cuisine German

Keyword authentic German Sauerbraten, instant pot sauerbraten, sauerbraten, Sour bratten

Dietary Consideration Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, High Fat, High Protein, Nut-Free, Soy-Free

Cooking Style Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Ease of Cooking Pour and Cook

Recipe Type Beef, Pressure Cooker

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Time to Pressure and NPR 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 10

Calories 332 kcal

Ingredients

For the Spice Packet

• 3 tablespoons pickling spices
• 1 teaspoon juniper berries
• 2 bay leaves

For the Meat

• 3 pounds beef rump roast cut into 3 large pieces
• 2 cups sliced onions
• 1 cup large chopped carrots
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper

For Finishing

• 1/2 cup crushed gingersnaps
• 1/2 cup sour cream optional
• 2 tablespoons coarse ground mustard

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. For the spice packet: Place pickling spices, juniper berries, and bay leaves into a cheesecloth bag and place into the inner liner of the Instant Pot or pressure cooker. 

2. Place the beef into the inner liner of the instant pot. Add onions, carrots, ginger, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour over the red wine vinegar and chicken broth.
   

3. Set the Instant Pot at High pressure for 40 minutes. When cook time is complete, let the pot sit undisturbed for 10 minutes, and then release all remaining pressure.
   

4. Open the lid and remove the beef to a serving tray. Cover with foil and let it rest. Discard cheesecloth bag.
   

5. Add in in crushed gingersnaps (if using), sour cream (if using)  and mustard. Use an immersion blender to blend the vegetables until a rough sauce forms. Pour over the meat and serve.    
   

Recipe Notes

If you can't find pre-mixed pickling spices, it usually is a loose combination of mustard seeds, allspice berries, whole coriander seeds, bay leaves and cinnamon. Honestly, just throw some of those in there and call it a day. 

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot German Sauerbraten

Amount Per Serving

Calories 332 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 13g 20%

Saturated Fat 5g 25%

Total Carbohydrates 12g 4%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 4g

Protein 38g 76%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.