SEAR: Check over the stew beef and trim off any excess fat. Heat a 6.5 quart Dutch oven or similar over moderate high heat, then add the oil & watch for it to shimmer. Sprinkle the stew beef with salt and then, working in batches, brown it evenly on at least two sides. Let the beef develop a rich, deep color before turning it over and repeating. When the beef has a nice crust all over, transfer it to a plate and reserve for later. When you’re done, there should be a deeply hued layer of beef juices on the bottom of your Dutch oven: this is good!

SOFTEN: Add the diced onion, celery & carrot to the Dutch oven and reduce the heat so that the vegetables will start to cook, but not brown. Stir the vegetables as they start to sweat & release some of their moisture. As you stir, you will see some of the browned bits from the beef release and coat the vegetables so that they darken in color. Cook until the onion has just begun so soften, about 10 minutes or so, then stir through the garlic and cook until fragrant.

DEEPEN: Preheat the oven to 300 F / 150 C and if needed, lower the oven rack so that there is enough room for the Dutch oven to fit with its lid on. Scoot the vegetables aside and add the tomato paste to the Dutch oven, stirring it through the vegetables with a spatula for 30 seconds or so. Next, pour in the red wine and stir until any of the last browned bits on the bottom release. Add the browned beef on top of the softened vegetables and pour over 4 cups / 960 milliliters of the broth, reserving the rest for later. Lastly, add the bay leaves, rosemary, black pepper and thyme.

COOK: Increase the heat to medium and bring the broth to a simmer, uncovered. Pop the lid on the dutch oven and place it on the middle oven rack. Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, checking on the stew occasionally to make sure it is simmering but not boiling. If the stew gets a little over vigorous at any point, crack the lid slightly and / or reduce the heat a little.

THICKEN: Remove the stew from the oven and use tongs to pull out and discard the rosemary & bay leaves. Carefully transfer about 2 cups / 480 ml of the hot stewing liquid and vegetables to a blender. Blend until smooth, making sure to let the steam escape as needed, then return the blended vegetables to the Dutch oven and stir through. Now add the red wine vinegar, coconut aminos, gluten free fish sauce, chopped carrots and potatoes, along with the remaining 2 cups / 480 ml of broth. This should add enough liquid to just cover the vegetables. Taste and add any additional salt if you like.

FINISH: Put the lid back on and return the thickened stew to the oven. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and cook until the vegetables are as tender as you like, about another 30 minutes for them to have some bite and up to 45 minutes if you like them on the softer side. You may wish to add a little extra broth or water for that longer cook time. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary before serving.