1 Piece of beef rump or knuckle of about 1 Kg (= 2,2 lbs)
60 grs (= 20 oz.) pancetta or bacon
90 grs (= 3,2 oz.) unsalted butter (or half glass Evo)
2 cloves
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Salt
For the marinade:
1 bottle of Barolo wine (or a full-bodied red wine)
1 carrot
2 celery stalks
1 onion
5 peppercorns
a pinch of thyme leaves (fresh or dried)
1 bay leaf
1st step - one day before cooking the meat
1 - Prepare the marinade combining the wine, the spices and the vegetables cut into big pieces in a bowl.
2 - Make two deep holes on the top of the meat and fill each one of them with 1 clove, 1 garlic clove, whole and peeled, and a few pieces of pancetta (or bacon) cut into small dices.
3 - Let the meat soak into the marinade for 24 hours in refrigerator. The marinade shall cover the meat completely.
2nd step - the cooking day
1 - Put a pan (preferably a clay one with heat diffuser under the pan) over low heat with the butter (or OIL) the rest of the pancetta (or bacon) cut into small dices and the onion, cut into thin slices.
2 - Take the meat out of the marinade, pat dry it with paper towels, lightly flour it and put it in the pan, as soon as the onion slices are translucent.
3 - Turn the meat on all sides so as to form a crust, using tongs to avoid piercing it. This step will take about 30 / 40 minutes and you’ll have to be very patient to turn the meat very carefully.
4 - When the meat is well browned and crusted, pour half of the marinade into the pan, including the vegetables and flavourings.
5 - Salt, cover and simmer for 3 hours and 15 minutes over very low heat.
6 - When done, remove the meat from the pan and let aside to cool a bit, in this way it will be easier to cut into slices. Blend the sauce until smooth with a hand held mixer.
7 - Put the sauce and the sliced meat in the pan again over low heat to keep warm until you serve it.
