Preheat the oven to 150℃ fan/170℃/Gas Mark 2/300F.

Heat the oil over a medium heat and brown the beef and bacon. Remove from the pan but keep the bits in stuck to the bottom for flavour.

Add the garlic, onions, carrots and mushrooms to the pan and stir for about 5 minutes to loosen the bits of the bottom from browning the meat.

Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes more.

Add the bacon and beef back into the pan along with the red wine, beef stock, dried thyme, tomato puree and some salt and pepper. Put the lid on and cook in the oven for 1 ½ – 2 hours or until the beef is tender.

Remove the lid for the last half an hour of cooking to help the sauce thicken up. Serve scattered with the chopped parsley.

Brown your beef and bacon in the slow cooker pan (if yours allows it) OR use a pan on the hob.

Add all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on LOW, until the beef is tender.

With half an hour of cooking time left, mix the cornflour with a little of the sauce and stir in. Leave to cook with the lid on for 30 mins to thicken the sauce. Serve scattered with the chopped parsley.