This works for me everytime:

Chop up pork belly, fry it in a dutch oven and render the fat. Start with frozen beef cubes and brown them in the pork fat. Make sure the heat is high so the beef browns quickly. Drain most or the fat, leave two tablespoons, add butter, chopped garlic, carrots, onions and get all the brown bits off the bottom of the dutch oven. Sprinkle 3 tbs flour in there and mix until everything is coated. Add 500 ml red wine, reduce for 5-10 min, add 800 ml beef stock, crisped pork belly, and beef, bay leaves, spices. bring to a SIMMER, not a boil. Simmer means it looks like a pool of primordial ooze as it’s cooking. Every once and a while a bubble will make its way to the surface. That’s it. Simmer for at least 3 hours, preferably 6. Should fall apart. If you want to add mushrooms brown them in a separate pan and add them when simmering. salt to taste. Kosher salt is best imo.