Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until browned. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.  

Meanwhile, season the meat all over with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Put ½ of the meat cubes in the pan, and sauté until browned on all sides. Remove from pan and brown the second batch. Don’t do them all once or the meat will steam rather than brown.  

Remove the meat.  

Off the heat, add brandy and ⅓ cup red wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for one minute. Add the onions and fennel and sauté, stirring occasionally for 7-8 minutes, until the veggies are tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  

Stir the tomatoes and tomato paste into the vegetables. Add remaining wine, beef broth, seared meat and juices, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and bake for 1 ¼ – 1 ½ hours, checking once or twice to make sure it’s still simmering.  

Stir in the carrots and potatoes, cover and bake for another hour, until meat and veggies are tender. If the surface looks too greasy, lay a few pieces of paper towel over top for a minute to absorb the grease, discard the paper towel. Just before serving, stir in the bacon and peas.