Servings: PREP TIME 15 minutes COOK TIME 3.5 hours TOTAL TIME 3.75 hours + 3 to 5 days Makes 8 to 10 servings

4 lbs beef (chuck, rump, or round) 4 lbs beef (chuck, rump, or round)
salt, pepper salt, pepper
1 cup red wine vinegar 1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup red wine 1 cup red wine
4 bay leaves 4 bay leaves
2 onions, sliced 2 onions, sliced
12 peppercorns 12 peppercorns
4 whole cloves 4 whole cloves
bacon fat, butter, or oil for browning bacon fat, butter, or oil for browning
2 carrots, sliced 2 carrots, sliced
1 rib celery, sliced 1 rib celery, sliced
2 tbsp corn starch 2 tbsp corn starch
1 cup sour cream (optional) 1 cup sour cream (optional)

Wipe meat with damp cloth and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place in ceramic or glass bowl (not metal) or into a Ziploc bag that's been placed into a bowl in case it should leak. Add vinegar, wine, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves and one sliced onion. Add water to cover.
Tightly cover bowl (or seal Ziploc bag) and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days, turning once or twice every day.
Drain meat.
In Dutch oven or deep pan, put about 2 to 3 tbsp bacon fat, butter, or oil to brown meat.
Brown roast on all sides.
Add carrots, onions, and celery. Brown slightly.
Add about 1 cup water (or broth) and cook over low heat about 3 hours, until meat is tender. (Or put everything into slow cooker. See hints below.)
Remove meat. Mix corn starch with a bit of water. Slowly add just enough to simmering cooking liquid until thickened for gravy. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream (if using). Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Serve meat and gravy with potato dumplings and red cabbage!

Can be cooked in SLOW COOKER. Will take about 7 - 8 hours on low. (Check your slow cookers' manual)  Can be cooked in SLOW COOKER. Will take about 7 to 8 hours on low. (Check your slow cookers' manual)
For a 'spicier' taste, remove meat from marinade the night before cooking and cover all sides thickly with mustard. Cover and continue the following day with above instructions.  For a 'spicier' taste, remove meat from marinade the night before cooking and cover all sides thickly with mustard. Cover and continue the following day with above instructions.