Boeuf Bourguignonne

6 Strips bacon -- cut in 1/2" pieces
3 pounds Beef rump or chuck -- cut 1.5" cubes
2 Carrots -- sliced
2 Onions -- sliced
Salt & pepper to taste
3 tablespoons Flour
1 can Condensed beef broth -- (10oz)
1 tablespoon Tomato paste
2 cloves garlic -- minced
3/4 teaspoon Whole thyme
1 Bay leaf
1 pound Fresh mushrooms -- sliced
2 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Red or burgundy wine

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove and drain. Add beef cubes and brown well. Don't cook the meat all at once or you will crowd your pan and the meat will not brown. Place browned beef in 3 1/2-quart crockpot. Brown carrot and onion and eason with salt and pepper; stir in flour. Add broth, mix well and add to crockpot. Also add cooked bacon, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf to crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours (or on low for 8 to 10 hours).
One hour before serving: Saute mushrooms in butter and add, with wine, to crockpot. If you want a thicker gravy combine three tablespoons of flour with 3 tablespoons melted butter and stir into stew and cook on High until thickened (I skipped this step). Remove bay leaf before serving.

I served my stew with mashed potatoes. The meat is so tender you can cut it with a spoon! You don't have to use expensive wine in this recipe. I used a $5 Post Familie red wine, well because it is made in Altus, Arkansas. As for the garlic, I use the jar garlic that is already minced. I also used ground thyme because that's all I had and it worked fine.