i never posted the amanda hesser version i went with and have made several times since. one pot, no browning of meat required. makes a thinner sauce than the more typical version. it's really, really good and very easy to put together.

"Mapie de Toulouse-Lautrec, who wrote about food for Elle back in the 1960s, called this the "true" recipe. It's also how Julia Child makes her daube de boeuf in her Mastering the Art of French Cooking. You simply build the dish by layering the ingredients, much like a trifle, in a large casserole or Dutch oven, finishing with a bacon topper and some wine and brandy, and cooking stove-top for a couple hours."