Beef Stew with Bacon

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• 8 ounces chopped bacon
  Ingredient note

  Source: 8 ounces chopped bacon
• 2 ½ pounds beef stew meat
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 ½ pounds beef stew meat
• As Needed salt
  Ingredient note

  Source seasoning: salt, (to taste)
• As Needed black pepper
  Ingredient note

  Source seasoning: ground black pepper, (to taste)
• 1 ½ cup diced onion, (about 1 medium onion)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 ½ cup diced onion, (about 1 medium onion)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  Ingredient note

  Source: ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 cups beef broth
  Ingredient note

  Source: 4 cups beef broth
• 1 ½ pounds small potatoes, (cut in half)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 ½ pounds small potatoes, (cut in half)
• 2 cups carrots, (halved and cut into 1 inch pieces)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 cups carrots, (halved and cut into 1 inch pieces)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a large pot on the stove over medium heat.
2. Add 8 ounces chopped bacon and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove the bacon from the pot and drain on paper towels. Set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pan.
3. Season 2 ½ pounds beef stew meat generously with salt and ground black pepper, and add half of the meat to the bacon fat in the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until deep golden brown.
4. Remove the beef from the pot and repeat the browning process with the remaining ½ of the meat. Remove the second batch of meat from the pot.
5. Add 1 ½ cup diced onion to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally, approximately 4-5 minutes.
6. Return the meat to the pot. Add ¼ cup all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the meat.
7. Add 1 teaspoon dried thyme and 4 cups beef broth to the pot. Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook for 2 hours.
8. After 2 hours, remove the pot from the oven and stir in 1 ½ pounds small potatoes, 2 cups carrots, and half of the bacon. Return the pot to the oven and bake for an additional hour for a total of 3 hours of cooking in the oven.
9. After the last hour of cooking, serve the stew topped with the remaining half of the bacon and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley.