Cook the meat. 

Use kitchen shears to slice the bacon into small pieces, about 1/2 inch or so. (Or cook the bacon whole and break it up when you’re done.) Cook the bacon on medium heat in a large pan. A Dutch oven is ideal. Remove the bacon when it’s crispy. Put it on a large plate lined with paper towels and set aside (sorry for the extra dish but it’s really worth it!)

Use another paper towel to dab the moisture off the beef. This helps with searing. Sprinkle pepper on top. Add the beef to the pot, cooking in the bacon fat. Don’t touch it for 2 minutes. Then stir. Leave for 2 minutes, and so on. Repeat until the meat is browned on all sides, about 10 minutes maximum. Remove the meat to the same plate/platter with the bacon.

Soften the vegetables. 

Turn the heat down to medium-low so you don’t burn all those juices in the pan. Add the onions and cook until they just start to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms and potatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes until the edges start to soften.

Add the flavorings. 

Turn the heat back up to medium-high. Add the tomato paste to the vegetables and stir. Pour the vinegar, wine, Worchestershire sauce and soy sauce into the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes, just allowing the intensity to cook off. Scrape the bottom of the pan to make sure all the crunchy bits are worked into the liquid.

Put the stew all together. 

Gently add the meat and bacon back to the pot. Pour the beef stock over the top. Your pot should be very full. If the vegetables and beef are peeking out of the liquid, add enough water to just cover them. Top with the bay leaves. Place a lid on top and cook for 45 minutes on LOW.

Thicken the stew. 

When the stew is bubbling and everything is tender, you’re ready to thicken it up. Use a mug or liquid measuring cup: add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch plus 1/2 cup of cold water. Whisk it together with a fork or mini whisk until smooth. Pour into the pot. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.

Serve. 

Add frozen peas plus butter just before serving. The butter makes the stew silky and the peas give it a colorful pop. But be careful. This stew is still VERY hot so be careful when serving. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of diced parsley if you want to be fancy.