Oxtail Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 lbs oxtails, cut at joints
2 tablespoons shortening
2 onions, cut in quarters
4 cups boiling water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 bay leaf
6 carrots, cut in chunks
3 potatoes, cut in chunks
2 cups rutabagas, chopped
1 cup celery, diagonally sliced
1/2 cup cold water (optional)

Preparation

In large bag, mix together flour, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Shake oxtails, a few at a time, until evenly coated. Set aside any leftover flour mixture.
In large flameproof casserole or Dutch oven, melt shortening over medium-high heat. Brown oxtails completely, adding more shortening if pan looks dry. Set aside as they brown.
Add onions to pan and cook until softened. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in boiling water, bouillon cubes and bay leaf; return oxtails to pan.
Cover and bake in 325\u00b0F (160\u00b0 C) oven for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until oxtails are tender. (If oxtails are fatty, prepare recipe to this point. Cool and refrigerate overnight; remove fat before continuing.)
Add carrots, potatoes, rutabaga, celery and remaining salt to stew. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender and stew is heated through. If desired, thicken stew with 2 tablespoons of reserved seasoned flour blended with cold water. Stir into stew and heat to boiling, stirring constantly.