Instructions
Step 1
Make a bouquet garni: In a square of cheesecloth, use twine to tie the pickling spices, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley into a tight bundle.
Step 2
Salt the beef generously and place in a large bowl. In a pot, bring the wine, vinegar, one of the onions, the carrot, bouquet garni, and 4 cups of water to a boil. Pour over the beef, then cover and refrigerate, turning once or twice a day, for 5 days.
Step 3
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325°F. Transfer the beef to a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and strain the marinade. Reserve 5 cups of the marinade and the bouquet garni.
Step 4
To a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the bacon and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned and has rendered its fat, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Add the beef and cook, turning every few minutes, until browned all over, 20–25 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining onions to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and deeply browned, about 18 minutes.
Step 5
Return the beef to the pot. Add the reserved marinade and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Cover and bake until the beef is very tender, about 2½ hours. Transfer the beef to a cutting board and tent with foil. Into a bowl, strain the sauce.
Step 6
In the pot, melt the remaining butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and sugar and cook, whisking continuously, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to high and whisk in the reserved sauce, raisins, gingersnaps, and lemon juice and boil until reduced slightly, about 7 minutes.
Step 7
Thinly slice the sauerbraten and transfer to a platter. Ladle with the sauce, sprinkle with the bacon and parsley, and serve hot.