A frugal beef stew

This recipe comes to you by way of the Jeff Smith aka "The Frugal Gourmet," a fellow TV chef that passed away in 2004 amid a cloud of controversy.  

He was instrumental in my first glimpses of cooking on TV before there ever was a food or cooking channel and his wit and fun in the kitchen certainly made for creative recipes.


I believe he helped usher in a move from PBS to center-stage cooking and paved the way for the culinary shows we watch today.

As a tribute to The Frugal Gourmet, I'd like to present my take on his classic recipe utilizing wine in marinating beef to bring out the flavor in tough cuts of meat.  

By soaking tough but flavorful cuts of meat in wine for several hours you break down the connective tissues and collagen making the meat more appetizing and tender.

 An additional side benefit is cutting down on added salt, which is always a good thing.

Only use a wine that you would consume, never cook with turned, off or corked wine, as you will impart that off flavor into the meat you are preparing.

—Scott C. Anderson is associate food service director and chef with Shepherd University dining services in Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Chef Ambassador to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.



Beef stew—Frugal Gourmet style



2 pounds beef chuck roast – cubed (sometimes referred to as stew meat)

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

3 celery stalks, cleaned and sliced

1 parsnip, cleaned and sliced

1 large sweet onion, peeled and sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

3 cups Zinfandel  wine (see cook's note)