Pot Roast of Beef in the Style of Marseilles

This classic dish is hardly worth making in small quantities. For one thing, the flavor and texture of the cooked meat are much better with a largish piece of, say, 5 to 7 pounds. Smaller sizes lose their juices too quickly. The secret trick here is the use of a dry fruit brandy (instead of the more normal Cognac) to give a most delicate and subtle, vaguely fruity touch to both the meat and the sauce. In this recipe I use a very light Alsatian blackberry brandy, but one might equally use th