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1
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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2
Cook the bacon in a heavy ovenproof Dutch oven set over high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes.
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3
Transfer the bacon to a paper towellined plate.
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4
Set aside.
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5
Season the beef generously with salt and pepper, and toss in the flour.
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6
Working in three batches so as not to crowd the pot, add the meat to the pot with the rendered bacon fat.
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7
Cook the beef, turning to brown all sides, about 5 minutes per batch.
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8
Transfer the meat to a large bowl.
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9
Into the same pot, add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper and cook until the vegetables are light brown, about 8 minutes.
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10
Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
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11
Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the beef.
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12
Add 1 1/2 cups of the broth to the pot.
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13
Bring to a boil and cook, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until reduced to a glaze, about 8 minutes.
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14
Return the meat and vegetables and their juices to the pot.
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15
Add the wine, thyme, brown sugar, tomato paste, bay leaf, and the remaining 2 cups of broth.
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16
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
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17
Cover the pot and place it in the oven.
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18
Braise until the beef is tender, about 2 hours.
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19
Remove the bay leaf before serving.
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20
When it comes to cooking with wine, Sandy follows the sage advice of Julia Child, who said, If you do not have a good wine to use, it is far better to omit it, for a poor one can spoil a simple dish and utterly debase a noble one.
