Classic Irish Beef Stew with Guinness

Cut the beef into 1½-inch chunks. Toss with salt and pepper and set it aside.
2 lbs beef chuck, Salt, ground black pepper
In a dutch oven, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove it from the pan, crumble and set aside but leave the bacon fat in the pan.
8 slices bacon
Sear the pieces of beef by putting a few pieces in the dutch oven at a time. As the pieces brown, transfer them to a plate. Again, leave the fat in the pan.
Sauté the onion for 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.
3 white onions, 3 cloves garlic
Stir in the flour, and cook until this turns golden.
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
Add the beer, and use a wooden spoon to gently scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the dutch oven.
18 oz Guinness
Whisk in the broth and tomato paste, until incorporated.
1½ cups beef broth, ¼ cup tomato paste
Add the beef and bacon back to the pan.
Stir in carrots, celery, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf.
2 large carrots, 2 large celery ribs, 1½ cups Yukon gold potatoes, 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 bay leaf
Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook covered for 2 hours. Then remove the lid and allow it to simmer for another 30 minutes until it has thicken up.
Remove the bay leaf before serving.