Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon 1 tbsp olive oil 8 slices bacon thick cut, chopped 3 lbs stewing beef lean, cut into 1 inch pieces 1 large onion chopped 1 large carrot peeled and roughly chopped 1 lb pearl onions peeled 1/2 tsp salt or to taste 1/2 tsp pepper ground, or to taste 4 cloves garlic minced 1 lb mushrooms chopped 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 3 cups red wine 2 cups beef broth low sodium or no sodium added 1 tbsp tomato paste 1 bay leaf 1 tbsp thyme fresh Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or a heavy based pot that's oven safe. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined bowl and set aside. Add the stewing beef in batches and brown well on all sides. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining beef. I did 3 batches, but depends on the size of your pot. Add the chopped onion, carrot, pearl onions and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender and translucent. Stir in the mushrooms then sprinkle the flour over. Stir and let it cook for another 2 minutes. Add the beef and bacon back to the pot. Add the red wine, beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme and stir. Bring to a boil. Preheat the oven to 325 F degrees while you're bringing the stew to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, place in the oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours stirring every hour. Serve over cooked noodles or creamy mashed potatoes.