adapted from Dorie Greenspan's "My Go-To Beef Daube" in Around My French Table
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Dry the roast with paper towels and cut into 2-3 inch pieces, trimming away excess fat and connective tissue as you go (without getting obsessed about it).
Heat Dutch oven (or any 4-6 quart oven-safe pot with lid) over medium heat and add the pancetta or bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it browns, then lift out to a plate.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the rendered fat and brown the meat pieces on all sides. Work in batches so you don't crowd the pan, which steams the meat instead of developing a flavorful crust. When done, transfer to the plate with the bacon/pancetta. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Pour off the oil from browning the meat and add the remaining tablespoon of fresh oil and warm over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots, garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, 5-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to cook a couple minutes. Add the Cognac/brandy, turn up the heat, and give things a good simmer while scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula (deglaze); simmer a minute then add the carrots, parsnips, celery, reserved pancetta/bacon/meat pieces, along with any accumulated juices on the plate, and stir.
Add the wine and bouquet garni. Give everything a good stir and bring to boil. Put the lid on the pot and set it in the oven. At 1 hour, take a peek to assess the liquid level (add water if it looks overly reduced, which is unlikely), give a stir, then put the lid back on and continue cooking for 90 more minutes (for a total of 2 ½ hours).
When cooking is complete, remove and discard the bouquet garni, and if you wish, the carrots and celery (as they have given about as much as they can give). Taste the sauce and if you wish, you can remove the meat and reduce the sauce by boiling for a few minutes. When I cook with elk or bison, I usually enrich the sauce with a couple tablespoons of butter—whisk it into the sauce 1 tablespoon at a time as it simmers.