Herb Oxtail Stew

I haven't had any kind of beef stew in a very, very long time.  I've found a recipe on the Internet (http://www.food.com/recipe/herb-simmered-beef-stew-427341) that might work for us.  We have to decide when we want to set aside time to make this recipe.  Time is always a scarce commodity!  Recipe to be tested & tweaked follows:


Oxtail Stew (tweaked from Herb Simmered Beef Stew)
4 lbs oxtail
pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups mixed mushrooms, cut chuncky
5 slices ginger root
1 1/2 tablespoons marjoram, fresh
1 1/2 tablespoons thyme, fresh
1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary, fresh
1 bay leaf (if fresh available)
1 3/4 cups water (+/- to over tops of oxtail)
3 cups baby carrots
12 baby red potatoes, whole
1 Japanese Tea Strainer preferably without handle (to be used for fresh herbs)
1 Dutch Oven
Refresher Herbs

2 slices ginger root

1 tablespoons marjoram, fresh

1 tablespoons thyme, fresh

1 tablespoons rosemary, fresh

1.  Sprinkle oxtail with pepper.  (optional)
2.  Heat oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat.
3.  Add oxtail & brown well.
4.  Add mushrooms, ginger root, tea strainer of herbs & bay leaf.  Cook until mushrooms are done.
5.  Stir in water & heat to boil.
6.  Reduce to medium simmer, cover, & cook for 2 3/4 hours.  Cool, debone.  Discard herbs.
7.  Add 1/2 potatoes & carrots. Cover.  Heat to boil.  cook for 30 minutes.  Mash potatoes & carrots.
7.  Refill tea strainer with refresher herbs.  Add tea strainer & rest of potatoes & carrots.  Heat to boil.
8.  Cover & reduce to medium simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes & carrots are tender.
9.  Remove bay leaf & discard herbs.  Serve.