Ingredients
2 tbsp oil 
1,25kg beef shin (or stewing steak) cut into large chunks 
Salt and pepper 
500g packet of frozen soffritto mix (or onion, carrots and celery cut small) 
150g bacon chunks or lardons (optional) 
3 tbsp flour 
1 beef stock pot 
1 tin of Guinness (or 1 can of coke) 
4 tbsp tomato puree 
400g carrots, cut into large-ish chunks - you don’t want these to disintegrate during the cooking 
1 bay leaf 
1 large sprig of thyme 
1 tbsp sugar or 120ml coke 
500ml water 
1 tbsp porcini powder (optional)

Method
Heat the oven to 160c and heat 1 tbsp of oil on a medium heat in a heavy based pan that can also go into your oven.   

Brown the beef in batches over a medium high heat being careful not to overload the pan, (browning in batches keeps the heat high, and stops the meat from stewing too early), placing the cooked meat into a separate dish or on a plate as you go adding a tbsp more of oil when needed.  

Once the meat has all been browned, to the pot add 1 tbsp of oil, add the soffritto mix and cook until soft, this will take 5-10 minutes.  Don’t worry if the bottom of the pan is brown, the soffrito will collect all of it and it all adds to the flavour. 

Add the bacon and cook until starting to go golden.  Add the flour and thoroughly stir cooking for a minute.  Add the tomato puree and cook for a further minute.  Add a little of the beer and scrape the bottom of the pan with your wooden spoon to release any of the meaty residue stuck on the bottom then add the rest of the beer.  (If you are using coke/treacle instead of the beer add a little coke, scrape, add the rest of the coke and then add the treacle).  

Add the meat back along with the rest of the ingredients, stir and cook in the oven, covered for 2 hours then uncover for an hour.  The meat should now be meltingly tender. 

 If your gravy has not thickened enough during cooking just drain off the gravy into a saucepan and put on a high-ish heat to reduce and thicken.  Cover the meat and place back into the switched off oven to keep warm.