Brown the beef: Place the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Toss the beef chunks until they are evenly coated — you should see a light, powdery coating on every piece. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half the beef in a single layer and cook for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pieces are deep brown on all sides and you hear a satisfying sizzle. The flour will create a golden crust. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining oil and beef.

Sweat the aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onions to the same pan. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until they turn translucent and smell sweet. Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds — the garlic should become fragrant but not burnt. Scrape this mixture into the slow cooker on top of the beef.

Layer the vegetables: Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes directly into the slow cooker. Do not stir yet — keeping the vegetables separate from the beef helps them retain their shape during cooking. The colours should look vibrant: orange, green, and earthy brown.

Build the liquid base: In a large jug, whisk together the hot beef stock, chopped tomatoes, and tomato purée until the purée is completely dissolved. The liquid will look a deep rusty red. Pour this over everything in the slow cooker. Add the bay leaves, dried thyme, and smoked paprika. Gently press down on the ingredients with a spoon so they are mostly submerged — the liquid should come about three-quarters of the way up the sides of the solids.

Slow cook: Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours. After 6 hours on low, lift the lid carefully — the steam will smell rich and savoury. The beef should be fork-tender, meaning a fork slides through the meat with no resistance. The potatoes should feel soft when pierced. The liquid will have thickened slightly from the flour coating.

Finish and serve: About 15 minutes before serving, stir in the frozen peas. They will turn bright green as they warm through — this takes only a few minutes. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Discard the bay leaves. Ladle the stew into bowls and scatter the fresh parsley on top.