Jos has mentioned the most important ingredient TIME. Not thyme but TIME.

Long and slow cooking will transport almost any cheap cut of beef into a wonderful stew.

When I was at school Ma Keogh, the school …….. well everything, cook, first aider, shoulder to cry one, made the best stew known to man.

One of the things she put into it was Butter Beans. Here I am 50 years later and I still relish that stew especially served with Roast Potatoes!! Uuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!