Red Wine Sauerbraten

Combine all the ingredients, including the roast, in a large non-metal bowl. The marinade consists of red wine vinegar, red wine, onions, carrots, bay leaf, whole allspice, whole cloves, peppercorns and salt. Place the roast in the marinade, cover it with a lid, and refrigerate for 3 days. Every day, gently turn the roast to ensure even marination.

Next, remove the roast from the marinade and pat it dry with a paper towel. In a large saucepan, warm up the marinade over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup of butter with some oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the beef on all sides, sprinkling flour over it as you turn the roast. Pour the warmed marinade into the Dutch oven with the roast, cover it again and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 3 hours or until the beef is tender.

After removing the roast from the marinade, pour off the excess liquid and skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Strain the marinade to remove any solids. In a large skillet, melt the remaining 1/4 cup of butter with sugar over low heat. Cook and stir until it turns golden brown in color. Gradually pour the strained marinade into the skillet, stirring constantly until it becomes smooth and thickened. Add some gingersnaps to the mixture and stir well.

Pour the sauce over the meat in the Dutch oven, return it to low heat and let it simmer for another 30 minutes. Finally, serve the dish hot.