This dish makes the house smell so homey and comforting.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees
In a large Dutch oven, with a lid, heat oil. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.
Pour off all but about 2 Tablespoons of the bacon grease.
Sprinkle beef cubes with salt, pepper and flour.
In batches, in single layers, sear the beef in the bacon grease browning all sides. Adding more oil in between batch, if necessary. Remove the beef to the plate with the bacon. Set aside.
Place carrots and onions in the pot and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook an additional 3 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Add the Brandy, stand back and ignite a matcher the pot to burn off the alcohol. It will burn for about 2 minutes. Once the flame subsides scrape up the bits on bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
Place the beef and bacon back in the pot along with the juices on the plate.
Add the wine along with enough beef broth to cover the beef. Add the thyme, rosemary and mushrooms.
Bring to a simmer then cover the pot with the lid and place in the oven for about 2 hours or until the meat is very tender. This can go for hours so there really is not set time.
Remove the stew from the oven. Add the frozen onions. Bring the stew to a simmer on the stove and then lower the heat to low for about 15 minutes or until the onions are heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
If you want your stew thicker you can add 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/3 cup water or broth to the stew at the last 15 minutes.