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A delicious way to prepare steak in the cold fall and winter months. Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy is a satisfying, family-friendly meal. With a little help from your slow cooker you can have this delicious meal on your menu any night of the week.
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I thought my relationship with my slow cooker was pretty solid but as time goes by I’ve found myself falling even more deeply in love with this helpful appliance. I try to include one slow cooker meal in my menu planning each week and it always ends up to be such a lifesaver. I encourage you to try it, you won’t be sorry.
It’s been my aim to create a collection of slow cooker recipes that work through all the seasons of the year and include the cuts of meat I use the most. This recipe is my latest addition to this growing list of busy day meal ideas.
My Favorite Cut for Beef Tips
When I hit up Costco, a great big package of top sirloin almost always ends up in my shopping cart. We are steak lovers in this house and this cut is particularly lean and there are an endless variety of ways to prepare it. In the summer we most often pop it on the grill but with the colder months on the way, I wanted to share this fabulous slow cooker recipe that works beautifully with this cut.
There’s nothing quite as comforting to me as tender, slow cooked beef with gravy. This dish practically demands that it be served over mashed potatoes but white or brown rice or pasta of any kind would also work very well.
Cook up a quick vegetable side dish and dinner is served.
How to Make Beef Tips in the Slow Cooker
Start by searing the beef, in batches, in a heavy pan . Cast iron is always my first choice for this task. Season the steak with seasoning salt and fresh ground black pepper while it’s browning. Transfer the seared beef to your slow cooker.
Pour in a couple of cups of low-sodium beef broth, a good tablespoon of Worcestershire, and the sprinkle the beef with Italian seasoning and dry thyme. I actually prefer dry seasonings in this recipe since they are intensely flavorful and I always have them sitting right in my pantry.
Sprinkle a cup of diced onion and a good amount of minced garlic over the top and tuck a bay leaf down into the mixture. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours, or until the beef is fork tender. If you cook it too long, the beef will begin to fall apart. Now, there are worse things in life than beef so tender it is falling apart, however the hope is to end with nicely formed beef cubes that are melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Remember, slow cooker times are always approximate and vary with each model.
Combine a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of water and add the slurry to the slow cooker, stirring it into the sauce. Let the mixture cook for an additional 5 or 10 minutes to thicken into a beautiful, luxurious gravy. Remove the bay leaf and you are ready to serve.
Spoon the beef and gravy over a mound of creamy mashed potatoes, white or brown rice, or buttered noodles.
SLOW COOKER BEEF TIPS WITH GRAVY
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Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy
Ingredients
- 3 pounds top sirloin cubed
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil divided
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt I use Lawry's, divided
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12" cast iron or other heavy skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. When nice and hot, add half the beef cubes and season them with 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste. Allow to sit, undisturbed for a couple of minutes then stir and cook just long enough to sear the beef without cooking it through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer beef to the slow cooker. Add remaining oil to pan and repeat with remaining beef cubes, seasoning salt and pepper.
- Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker and sprinkle the beef with the Italian seasoning and thyme. Sprinkle the diced onions and garlic over the top.Tuck a bay leaf into the mixture.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or until beef is fork tender.
- Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl and add to slow cooker. Stir until sauce has thickened and cook on LOW for an additional 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.
- Delicious serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Shawn says
made this for dinner tonight. was a big hit!
Teesha says
Making this for my Cuz’ns 21st birthday. So far it SMELLS AWESOME.
Tatyana says
It smells so good. I’m not really a cook that follows directions so I did add my own seasonings that I like and i cooked the onions and garlic with my meat to infuse those flavors in. I also added an onion soup mix and a brown gravy packet instead of the corn starch. I will let you guys know how it turned out later.
Natasha says
I added a gravy pack to mine instead of onions as well! I’m going to make potatoes separate I don’t like the flavor of potatoes with meats
kevin says
wondering about adding baby potatoes to this and maybe small carrots ???
Marita says
I add potatoes and carrots every time. Yummy
teachermrw says
Made this for my family for Sunday dinner. Very tasty! And easy! Will certainly make it again.
Jayla says
Can you substitute the cornstarch for another ingredient?
Valerie says
Hi Jayla. There are several good substitutes for cornstarch. Which you choose would depend on why you are looking for a sub. Arrowroot is a great gluten-free option. All-purpose flour works to thicken sauces and gravies as well but it doesn’t blend as effortlessly into liquids as cornstarch so I would recommend combining it with a little softened butter before adding it to the sauce. Hope this helps.
Mary says
The recipe for Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy sounds wonderful. I would like to try it soon. Is there any way that you could re-write the measurement s so I could make this wonderful dish? Thank you,Mary
Valerie says
I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking, Mary. A little more detail would help 🙂
Kane says
We do it in an alternate manner in our nation, attempted your direction and it’s so tasty. My better half cherishes it, had it with margarine.
Jackie says
Thank you!!! I’ve been looking through so many beef tips and gravy recipes and was ready to give up but tried one more – yours and this sounds just what I am looking for. Yummy!
SARAH says
Looks Delish! Can I make it on instant pot?
Valerie says
I haven’t tested this recipe in the Instant Pot yet.
Joe M. Robert says
WOW!! This is very delicious dish
Stephanie D Scheid says
These were absolutely amazing. The entire family loved it!