Heat your oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef chunks and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

Let them sit without moving them around too much. You want a nice brown color on the outside. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes.

Take the beef out of the pot and set it aside. Don't worry if it's not cooked through. It's going back in soon.

Put the chopped onions in the same pot. All those brown bits from the beef are still in there and they're pure flavor.

Cook the onions until they turn golden and soft. Then add your diced bell pepper and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Toss in the chopped tomatoes and minced garlic. Cook everything together for another 3 to 4 minutes. Your kitchen should smell really good right now.

Put the beef back into the pot with all those vegetables. Add the tomato paste, paprika, cumin, and thyme.

Mix everything together really well. You want every piece of beef coated in those spices.

If you're using red wine, pour it in now. Let it bubble and reduce by about half. This concentrates the flavor.

No wine? Just skip straight to adding your stock or water. Pour in 4 to 5 cups depending on how much liquid you like in your stew.

Drop in the bay leaves. Give everything a good stir.

This is where the magic happens. Put a lid on your pot and turn the heat way down to low.

Let it cook for 90 minutes. You can peek at it once or twice, but mostly just let it do its thing.

The beef needs this time to get tender. Don't rush it.

After 90 minutes, add your celery, carrots, and potatoes. These cook faster than the beef, so they go in later.

Put the lid back on and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes. The vegetables should be tender when you poke them with a fork.

Take out the bay leaves. Nobody wants to bite into those.

Taste your stew and add more salt and pepper if it needs it. Ladle it into big bowls.

I like to serve mine with crusty bread for dipping. Some people do rice or mashed potatoes. It's all good.