Source: Maders German Restaurant Milwaukee, Wisconsin

3 cups red wine vinegar
2 cups cold water
1 medium onion, diced in large pieces
2 tablespoons pickling spice
1/4 cup salt
1 carrot, sliced
1 (4 pound) beef sirloin roast
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 pound gingersnaps (depending on thickness desired)

Mix vinegar, water, onion, pickling spice, salt and carrot in bowl. Pickle meat in this brine in refrigerator seven days, turning occasionally.

When ready to cook, remove meat from brine. Save brine to make gravy later.

Roast meat in roasting pan, uncovered, in 325 degree F oven for 1 1/2 hours or until brown on both sides and almost done.

Sprinkle brown sugar over meat and roast 5 to 10 minutes more, turning meat while roasting, until sugar is dissolved and meat is browned.

In medium-size saucepan, combine half of brine the meat was pickled in and any drippings from roasting meat. To this mixture, add gingersnaps and cook until thick and dissolved. Serve over sliced meat and dumplings.

Makes about 8 servings.