Let’s break down the process into easy-to-follow steps.

Step 1: Brown the Bacon. Cook and stir bacon in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until bacon is browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer bacon into a large stew pot, reserving bacon fat in the skillet.

Step 2: Sear the Beef. Season beef chuck cubes generously with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Turn heat to high under the skillet and sear beef pieces in the hot fat on both sides until browned, about 5 minutes. Place beef in the stew pot with bacon, leaving fat in the skillet.

Step 3: Sauté Onions and Garlic. Turn heat down to medium; cook and stir onions in the retained fat in the skillet until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes; season with a large pinch of salt. Cook garlic with onions until soft, about 1 minute.

Step 4: Deglaze with Guinness. Pour beer into the skillet and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up and dissolving any browned bits of food (fond) into the liquid.

Step 5: Combine Ingredients. Pour cooking liquid from the skillet into the stew pot. Stir in tomato paste, carrots, celery, thyme sprigs, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and enough chicken broth to cover.

Step 6: Simmer. Bring stew to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine; reduce heat to low and cover pot. Simmer stew until beef is fork-tender, about 2 hours.

Step 7: Reduce and Thicken (Optional). Stir stew occasionally and skim fat or foam if desired. Remove cover and raise heat to medium-high. Bring stew to a low boil and cook until stew has slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 8: Season and Serve. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Step 9: Serve with Mashed Potatoes (Optional). Arrange mashed potatoes in a ring in a serving bowl; ladle stew into the center of the potatoes.

The steps are easy to follow.