That's what you do....corned beef is cured with a salt and nitrate mix.
Here's the recipe I use.
Sauerbraten ===========
This recipe is based on a Bavarian Sauerbraten from Gourmet Magazine It is excellent. Plan ahead, because the meat must marinate for at least 2 days
1 beef chuck, round or rump roast, about 2-1/4 pounds
2 Large onions, sliced
1/2 Cup coarsely chopped celery leaves
1-3/4 Cups dry red wine
1 Cup red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon coarse salt
1/4 Teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 Tablespoon mustard seeds
1/8 Teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
6 cloves
1 Teaspoon black peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh parsley or 1 Tablespoon dried
2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon bacon grease or cooking oil
1/4 Cup ground gingersnap crumbs .
Place the roast in a large sealable plastic bag. Add the onions and celery leaves, being certain to get some on both sides of the meat. In a medium bowl, mix together the wine, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, mustard seeds, nutmeg, cloves, peppercorns, parsley and bay leaves. Pour into the bag and seal tightly. Place the bag in a baking dish and refrigerate for 2 or 3 days, turning the bag over every 12 hours to marinate both sides. Remove the meat from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Pat the meat with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon grease and heat. Add the meat and brown on all sides. Add the reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the meat is very tender, about 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the meat from the pot and keep warm. Skim any excess fat from the broth and strain. Whisk in the gingersnap crumbs. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until desired thickness. Taste for seasoning. Serve the sauce over the sliced meat and spaetzle.

Linda C

I use Craig Claiborne's recipe with great results:
SAUERBRATEN (serves 6)
4 lb boneless chuck or rump roast
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups wine vinegar
2 cups water
1 garlic clove (I use more)
3/4 cup sliced onions
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns
1/4 cup sugar
3 whole cloves
Flour
2 TBL vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Season the meat w/the salt & pepper & place in a large bowl. Bring the vinegar & water to a boil & add the garlic, onions, bay leaf, peppercorns, sugar & cloves. Pour the marinade over the beef, cover & refrigerate overnight.
Remove the meat & dry thoroughly with paper towels. Reserve the marinade. Dredge the meat in flour.
In a heavy kettle heat the oil, add the meat & brown on all sides. Add 2 cups of the marinade, cover tightly & simmer gently until the meat is tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the meat to a warm platter & keep hot. Thicken the gravy with a little flour mixed w/water. Stir in the sour cream & serve over the sliced meat.~~

Teriskitchen.com does have some good recipes, though. ;)

Ginger, yours sounds like what my German grandmother used to do when she made it. She never used gingersnaps for her gravy but I have seen a lot of recipes on blogs and in cookbooks that do it that way. She always thickened her gravy with flour and water. That is the way I make it now too.

Here's a link to the recipe and photo from the English pages of the German Cooking Site 'Marion's Kochbuch'.

I find her recipes to be quite authentic. The German version can be seen by clicking top left of the page.

SharonCb

Ginger, your recipe really intrigues me because it doesn't contain wine. I don't buy wine because we don't drink it at all, so I never have any around. But wine vinegar, I've always got on hand. I have to do low sodium dishes and I think with all the vinegar and other spices, we wouldn't miss the salt. I want to give it a try.

Hope you like it, Shambo!

Sauerbraten From "Lüchow's German Cookbook" page 106

3 pounds round steak (maybe a rump roast, or bottom of the round?)
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 onions, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cloves
4 peppercorns
½ pint red wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons kidney fat (lard or bacon drippings could be used here)
6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
5 gingersnaps, crushed

Wipe steak with clean cloth; season with salt and pepper. Place in earthen, glass, or enamelware bowl. Combine onions carrot, celery, cloves, peppercorns, vinegar, and bay leaves and 2½ pints water, or enough to vocer meat. Cover and put into refrigerator for 4 days.

On fifth day remove from refrigerator, drain meat, sautè in kidney fat and 1 tablespoon butter in enamelware, glass, or earthenware utensil, until seared on all sides. Add marinade liquid and bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for 3 hours.

Melt remaining5 tablespoons butter in a pan. Stir flour smoothly into it. Add sugar, blend, and let brown to nice dark color. Add to simmering meat mixture. Cover and continue cooking until meat is tender, about 1 hour longer.

Remove meat to a warm serving platter. Stir crushed gingersnaps into the pot juices and cook until thickened. Pour this special sauerbraten gravy over meat. Serves 6 or more.

Ginger, I made your recipe the other night. It turned out really good even with no salt added. I just about doubled the spices to make up for the missing salt and used about 4 cloves of garlic. However, I think the lack of salt disrupted the balance of flavors a bit, and I needed to add about a 1/2 tsp. of sugar to the gravy; it was just a bit too tart. Once I added the sour cream, everything was perfectly yummy. I served it with baked potatoes and cabbage that I had braised separately in the sauerbraten cooking liquid.

The biggest problem I had was with the leftover meat. I couldn't get my husband to stop eating it. So I ended up with just a few scraps for me the next day.

I always used more garlic too but I have no problem with salt so have never omitted it.