In a gallon-sized plastic bag, add the meat cubes and flour and shake well to coat the meat.
In a heavy stewpot (enamel-coated cast iron works well for this recipe), melt the shortening and then add the meat; brown on all sides.
Mix together the remaining ingredients, except the uncooked noodles, and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours or until the beef is tender and the sauce is thick like gravy.
Stir often to prevent sticking.
When close to mealtime, cook the egg noodles in enough water to cover (boil them according to the package directions); drain noodles and add to the stew or put some noodles on serving dishes and ladle the stew over the top.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Egg noodles don’t expand nearly as much as regular pasta such as spaghetti noodles. I get a little more than 4 cups of cooked noodles from 3 cups of uncooked. Yours might differ, so you may need to experiment with the amount of noodles you cook. Also, some people like more noodles and others prefer less.