Classic Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients
   3 pounds stew beef, cubed
   Pasta or rice
· 2-3 cups beef stock
· 3 cups red wine (cabernet)
· 5 carrots, chopped
· 4 slices bacon, cut into strips
· 4 cloves garlic, minced
· 2 onions, finely chopped
· 2 bay leaves
· 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
· 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
· 1 tablespoon tomato paste
· 1 teaspoon dried thyme
· 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
· 1/2 teaspoon cloves * prefer 1/4 tsp*
· kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Take your cubed beef and pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
3. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and render bacon stripsuntil browned and crispy. Remove to a bowl, leaving bacon fat in the pot.
4. Turn heat up to medium-high and, in batches, brown cubed beef, adding more olive oil if necessary. Once browned, transfer to bowl with bacon and set aside.
5. Add onions and carrots, seasoned with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened and        tender. 6-8 minutes.
6. Return beef (and bacon, optional) to the vegetables and sprinkle in flour. Toss to coat everything and transfer Dutch oven to the oven for 4 minutes, uncovered.
7. Toss everything again and roast for another 4 minutes.
8. Remove pot to stove (medium heat) and turn oven heat down to 325 F.
9. Stir tomato paste into beef and veggies and cook for 3-5 minutes.
10. Pour in liquids until meat is just submerged, then add garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and cloves, and let simmer.
11. Cover and place in oven for 3 hours. Check at 2 hours to see how much liquid is left, adding more stock if meat is no longer covered. Note: sauce should be reduced and thickened, and meat should be falling apart.
12. Once meat is tender, transfer Dutch oven back to stove and keep on low heat until ready to serve.
13. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
14. Cook pasta or rice.
15. Serve beef bourguignon hot, on top of pasta or rice, pouring extra sauce over as desired.

( I normally cook a bit extra, maybe 20 minutes)

The best batches are when I have the meat cut from chuck roast.