Choose, if possible, a thick piece of rib of beef weighing about 3 lb. and with the bone. It will need rather a large, shallow casserole or braising pan, but if this is not available the bone can be removed. Put the meat into an earthenware dish or bowl and over it pour a good half bottle of strong red wine. Add a small sliced onion, a sliced carrot, a piece of celery, a couple of bay leaves, a clove or two of garlic and a little ground black pepper. The meat is to marinate for about 24 hours, being turned over three or four times so that each side is well soaked in the wine.

When the time comes to cook it, take it out of the marinade and dry it very carefully. In a casserole which will conveniently hold the meat melt a little butter or dripping; brown the meat on both sides. Add salt. In the meantime, in another pan, reduce the strained marinade to half its original volume; pour it over the meat. Cover the pan, and simmer very slowly for about 3 hours, or longer if the meat is very tough. At the end of the cooking there should be just sufficient sauce, thickish, to moisten each person's helping. Should the meat used be on the fat side some of the fat will have to be skimmed off the sauce.