Traditional "Schwarzsauer" according to grandma's recipe

To prepare the classic North German black sour recipe, place the meat in a large pot and cover with water. Add 2 sliced onions, the bay leaves, juniper berries, salt and peppercorns. Cook this on a medium heat for about 2 hours until the meat is tender and easy to carve. An important part of this step is to cook the meat slowly so that the spices can fully penetrate.

Remove the meat from the stock and cut it into small pieces. Be careful, it will be very hot! Set the stock to one side.

In a separate pan, heat the blood slowly, but do not let it boil - otherwise the blood will curdle and the sauce will become lumpy. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and stir constantly so that no lumps form. A little patience is the key to success here.

Stir the flour into a small amount of the stock until smooth and then add it to the heated blood. Now add the meat and the rest of the stock and simmer for about 30 minutes.

While the black sour is simmering, fry the remaining onion in a pan until caramelized. This adds an extra touch of flavor to the dish!

Taste the traditional black sour and season with salt and pepper as required. Add the caramelized onions and serve hot.