I use my big creuset stew pot for this. The trick is to use a good quality red wine.

2 pounds stew meat
3 or 4 pieces of bacon cut into lardons
3 cloves garlic,minced
1 onion,chopped
1 bay leaf
3 cups red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
tablespoon dry thyme
2 cups baby carrots,chopped
2 cups red skinned potatoes,quartered
1/4 cup flour
2 cups crimini mushrooms,halved
1 cup pearl onions,peeled
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Over medium high heat pour a small glug of olive oil in the pot
and brown your lardons,set aside.

Pat dry the stew meat and salt and pepper .
Brown the meat a few pieces at a time,set aside.

Toss in the onion and carrots,and saute over med heat for a couple minutes.

Add the garlic and saute for a minute more.

Add the meat and lardons and sprinkle the flour over it all and
coat the meat and vegetables.

Pour the wine in and scrape up all those wonderful brown bits.
You can use a little beef stock too ,you want to just cover the meat,but I usually just add more wine . Burgundy is ideal but a
good Pinot Noir will do.

Add the bay leaf ,thyme and tomato paste( I buy this stuff from italy
in a tube),stir it all up and stick it in the oven for an hour,checking it every so often to make sure it isn't sticking or cooking too hot.

After an hour add the potatoes and simmer for another hour in the oven.

Now sautee the mushrooms and pearl onions in a little butter.

Toss in the pot and cook for another half hour.

Now I let the pot cool,and stick it in the fridge for a day or so,it's better 2 days later. I then heat the oven to 325 and cook it for another 45 minutes to an hour and serve it with good crusty italian or french bread.

This stew will get you laid!! Enjoy!

Sounds delish! Damn near a mirror image of my "venison stew", cept I use a large frozen garden tomatoe (chunked up), little bit of corn and peas as well. I will try the 'shrooms and pearl onions.