Cooking Steps

• Brown the beef. Start by seasoning the stew meat with salt and pepper. Then, heat a large Dutch oven to medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides. Remove the beef from the pot and let it rest while you sauté the vegetables.
• Sauté the veggies. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot and sauté until tender. Then, add the tomato paste and stir to coat the veggies. This will help deglaze the pan and get all the brown bits off of the pot and into the stew.
• Simmer the stew. After about 5 minutes, return the meat to the pan and add the wine, beef broth and herbs. Let the stew come to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Allow the stew to simmer for about an hour and a half, or even a bit longer if you want. This lets the stew meat break down and get nice and tender. You don't want to rush this part.
• Thicken the sauce. When the meat is tender (and the veggies should be too), whisk the flour – or cornstarch – and water together until smooth. Increase heat to medium and stir the mixture into the pot. Let the stew continue to cook until the liquid has thickened.
• Adjust seasoning to taste and remove herbs before serving.