Mom'S Old-Fashioned Beef Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 lbs stewing beef or 2 lbs chuck roast, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 (1 -2 lb) package beef bones with marrow (optional)
2 -4 tablespoons canola oil
10 -12 cups beef broth or 10 -12 cups water, heated until boiling
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 large onion, diced (about 3/4 inch pieces)
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
12 carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

Preparation

Mix flour, salt and pepper in a large ziplock bag.
Add beef cubes, about 8 at a time, and shake in the flour mixture.Remove from bag and set aside.Flour-coat the rest of the beef cubes in a similar manner.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid or a Dutch oven.
Add the beef bones and brown on all sides; remove from oil and set aside.
Add more oil to the pan if needed and heat.
When the oil is very hot, add the beef cubes, a few at a time so as to not crowd them, brown on all sides and remove.
When the last batch of meat is a richly dark brown color, return bones and browned beef cubes to the pot, and pour on the boiling broth or water.
*Stand back when you do this, because it will spit and sputter!*.
Stir and add the lemon juice,worcestershire sauce,bay leaves and allspice.
Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender,.
Add the onion, carrots and potatoes and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes or until the vegetables are fork-tender.
Remove bones from the stew and discard.
Thicken stew with a flour slurry,if desired, and serve.