Preheat the oven to 300°.
Season the ribs with salt. In a large skillet or dutch oven, cook sliced bacon until crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the pan. Add half of the ribs to the reserved bacon fat and cook over moderately high heat until well browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the ribs to a large roasting pan. Brown the remaining ribs and add them to the roasting pan in a single layer.
Add the reserved vegetables and cook over high heat until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add cognac, cook for about 1 min. (watch out if it catches on fire). Then add wine and beef stock, bring to a boil. Pour the vegetable/wine mixture over the ribs. Cover with foil and bake for about 5 hours, or until the meat is very tender and almost falling off the bone. Transfer the ribs to a large baking dish. Leave the oven on.
Strain the cooking juices into a large saucepan and skim the fat from the surface. Boil over high heat until reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Pour the sauce over the ribs.
Return the ribs to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.