Prepare the Beef: In a large bowl, mix together the plain flour, salt, and pepper. Add the beef chunks and toss well until every piece is lightly coated. This flour coating will help to thicken our gravy later on.

Sear the Beef: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. Working in two batches, add the beef and sear for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until it's deeply browned on all sides. What works best for me is giving the beef plenty of space so it fries rather than steams. Transfer the browned beef to the bowl of your slow cooker.

Sauté the Vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery to the same pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have softened and the onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Deglaze the Pan: Pour the red wine into the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan – this is where so much flavour is hiding! Let the wine bubble and reduce by about half.

Combine in the Slow Cooker: Transfer the cooked vegetable mixture to the slow cooker. Pour in the beef stock and add the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and dried thyme. Stir everything together well.

Add Potatoes and Cook: Gently stir in the potato chunks. Secure the lid on the slow cooker.

Slow Cook to Perfection: Cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. The stew is ready when the beef is fall-apart tender and the potatoes are soft.

Final Touches: Remove the bay leaves. Taste the gravy and season with a little more salt and pepper if needed. If you prefer a thicker gravy, you can make a slurry with 1 tablespoon of cornflour and 2 tablespoons of cold water, stir it in, and cook on HIGH for a further 15 minutes until thickened.

Serve: Ladle the hot stew into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.