1-First, cut the meat into 1-inch cubes and discard large fat pieces while keeping the marbleized fat for extra flavor. Season the beef with ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, and ½ teaspoon celery salt, then toss to coat and sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour for a nice sear.

2-Next, heat 3-6 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the meat in batches for 45 seconds per side to add color and taste without fully cooking it. Transfer the browned meat to the slow cooker right away.

3-Then, reduce the skillet heat to medium, melt 1 tablespoon of the cold butter, and cook 2 cups diced yellow onions for 5 minutes before adding 4 cloves minced garlic and cooking for 1 more minute. Add a splash of red wine or its substitute to deglaze the pan and loosen those tasty browned bits, then move the onion and garlic mix to the slow cooker.

4-After that, add the remaining ingredients except for 1 cup frozen peas, the cornstarch mixture, and the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter: that includes 4 cups beef broth, 2 beef bouillon cubes, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 5 medium carrots cut into 1-inch chunks, 1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes (halved or quartered), 2 bay leaves, and 1 sprig rosemary. Set your slow cooker to low for 7 ½ to 8 hours or high for 3½ to 4 hours until everything is tender.

5-During the last 15 minutes, stir in 1 cup frozen peas to keep them bright and fresh. Before serving, remove the 2 bay leaves and 1 sprig rosemary. If you want a thicker stew, stir in the optional cornstarch mixture slowly, and off heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter for a smooth finish.