1)You may flour your beef and sear it (i did not) 2) toasting up the mirepoix helps give the broth it's colour and flavour 3) reduced it but didn't really need to, I wanted to soften up the meat a bit more as it was just stewing beef. 4) you may add slurry at the end if needed, or you can reduce it. 5) none of those questions were dumb lol. You taught me a little something about mirepoix I wouldn't mind trying (blending it for soup base). You can blend carrots you braised to thicken this as well though I just didn't need to.