"Stracotto" means "overcooked." Although one shouldn't take this too literally, long cooking is nonetheless necessary to make a tough and inexpensive cut of meat tender. Some Roman versions of this hearty pot roast, like the one in Donatella Limentani Pavoncello's book Dal 1880 ad oggi: la cucina ebraica della mia famiglia, use no wine, only tomatoes, or use tomatoes and water. Other recipes for braised beef cut the meat into cubes instead of keeping it in one piece. A recipe for a similar stew, called "la tegamata" in La cucina maremmana, recommends marinating the meat overnight in wine and spices. I agree. I prefer the wine and spice version, as I think it results in a more interesting flavor. Not every cook browns the meat first, so you can skip this step entirely if you like. Accompany with polenta or potatoes.
