Oxtail Stew

Ingredients  

1/3 cup  Dried small white beans
      1 tb Vegetable oil
      3 lb chopped Beef oxtails
      3    Garlic cloves; peeled and crushed
      1 medium Yellow onion; peeled and diced
      1 medium Tomato; diced
      2 cups  Canned beef stock
      2 cup  Water; (approximately)
      2 tablespoon freshly ground allspice; or
           Salt; to taste
           Black pepper, freshly ground
           Tabasco sauce; to taste

 Place beans in a small saucepan. Add 1 cup of the water, bring to a boil, covered, then turn off the heat. 

Allow to sit for 1 hour, covered, then drain. 

Brown the oxtails well in the oil. 

Place the oxtails in a 6-quart stove-top casserole. Add the garlic, onion and tomato. Add the beef stock and enough water so it just covers the contents of the pot. Add the allspice, salt and pepper. 

Cover and simmer for 3 1/2 hours, adding the drained beans after 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally. Remove the lid during the last hour of cooking if you want a thicker sauce. 

Be careful the pot does not dry out. 

Season with salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce. 

Serves 4 to 5.