Prepare meat and vegetables before the cooking steps.
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat with some bacon grease on the bottom. Pour in enough oil to fill the bottom of pan.
Place the beef cubes in a brown paper bag and add the flour. Close the bag and shake a few times. [This produces evenly coated and drier beef cubes]
Dump the beef cubes into the pot and season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Saut the meat, stirring occasionally, until well-browned, about 8 minutes. [Add oil if it seems to dry out or stick]
Add the broth and wine until it covers the meat. Add the bay leaf. Bring this to a slight boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.
Add the onions, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, celery, and turnips to the pot. Add water (~3 cups) until it reaches 1 below all the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper, and the spices. Cover (slightly ajar) and cook on low-medium heat for 1 hour.
Remove the pot lid and drain all the pot juices into a medium sized pot. Add the tomato paste to the juices, stir occasionally, and heat until a slight boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and heat uncovered for 10 minutes. [The gravy will begin to thicken a bit]
Add this new gravy back to the large pot so it just reaches the top of the ingredients. [Reserve the rest of the gravy, if any, for another meal]
Add the Marsala wine, and simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow this to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
