Brown beef in bacon grease or oil and place in bowl (if you're making this the night before, so that you can just toss it all into your crock pot the following morning).
Brown carrot and onion. Season with salt and pepper; stir in flour. Add broth, mix well.
Add thyme, tomato paste, chopped garlic, bay leaf, and onions; cook 'til onions are slightly softened.
Place in crock pot with beef and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours. About 1/2 hour before serving time, add mushrooms you've sautéed in 2 tsp butter to crock pot along with burgundy if you like a thicker gravy ~ whisk in some gravy flour.
Change setting to high and cook for that extra half hour.
Servings: 4 to 6