• couple strips of bacon, sliced small
• 2 1/2 lb beef chuck, 2 inch cubes, toss with black pepper and salt
• 2 onions, rough chopped
• salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can/bottle Guinness
• 1/4 c tomato paste
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 3 carrots, cut in 1 inch pieces
• 2 ribs celery, cut in 1 inch pieces
• 2 1/2 c chicken stock, more if needed
• 1 t sugar
• salt and pepper

Sauté bacon in skillet until rendered and crisp. Transfer bacon to dutch oven.

Brown beef in skillet in the bacon fat (yum!). Remove to dutch oven.

Sweat onions in skillet, adding salt. When onions have color, add garlic.

Deglaze with Guinness. Pour onions and guinness into dutch oven.

Add all remaining ingredients except final salt and pepper. Bring to boild and reduce to bare simmer.

Cover a simmer over low for the required number of hours to make the beef tender.

Remove lid, increase heat a bit, cooing until thickened and reduced slightly.

Adjust seasoning as necessary and serve.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2+ hours

Adapted from Chef John