slow cooker beef tips with gravy

Tender Beef Tips with Gravy – Easy Comfort Food

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As autumn arrives and days get shorter, a warm, hearty meal is just what you need. Tender beef tips in a rich, savory gravy are perfect for this time. This easy slow cooker recipe is great for busy weeknights, making a delicious dinner with little effort.

The Perfect Comfort Food for Your Family

Slow cooker beef tips with gravy are the ultimate comfort food, loved by families everywhere. This recipe is easy to make and uses affordable meat. Slow cooking turns tough cuts into tender pieces that are a joy to eat.

Why This Recipe Works

This dish is a hit because it’s simple to make and tenderizes the meat beautifully. The slow cooking breaks down the meat’s connective tissues, making it tender beef tips that melt in your mouth. The savory gravy adds to the dish, making it even more delicious with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Benefits of Slow-Cooking Beef Tips

  • It’s easy to prepare, perfect for busy weeknights
  • Affordable cuts like chuck roast or stew meat become tender and tasty
  • The slow cooking enhances the flavors, creating a rich comfort food beef tips experience
  • It’s hearty and filling, satisfying the whole family meal beef tips

This slow cooker beef tips recipe is ideal for bringing the family together. It’s simple, tender, and has a rich gravy that makes every meal special.

Essential Ingredients for Tender Beef Tips

Making the perfect beef stew meat recipe or crockpot beef gravy begins with picking the right ingredients. For a delicious slow cooker beef tips dish, you need a few key items:

  • Beef chuck roast or round steak: These cuts are great for slow cooking, making the beef tender and flavorful.
  • Lemon pepper seasoning: This spice mix adds a zesty, aromatic flavor to the beef.
  • Dry onion soup mix: This seasoning packet adds a savory onion taste to the dish.
  • Cream of mushroom soup: This creamy base makes the gravy rich and velvety.
  • Beef broth: The broth boosts the beefy taste and is the liquid for simmering the beef tips.

For thickening the gravy, you’ll also need butter and all-purpose flour. These simple items help make a comforting, tender beef tips dish in your slow cooker.

IngredientAmount
Beef chuck roast or round steak2-3 lbs
Lemon pepper seasoning1-2 tbsp
Dry onion soup mix1 packet
Cream of mushroom soup1 (10.5 oz) can
Beef broth1-2 cups
Butter (optional for thickening)2 tbsp
All-purpose flour (optional for thickening)2 tbsp

With these essential ingredients, you’re ready to make a comforting and flavorful slow cooker beef stew meat recipe or crockpot beef gravy. Your whole family will love it.

Selecting the Best Cut of Meat for Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy

Choosing the right meat is key to a tasty slow cooker beef tip with gravy. Beef chuck roast and top-round steak are top picks for this recipe.

Top Round vs. Chuck Roast

Top-round steak and beef chuck roast are both great for slow cooking. Top-round steak gets tender and flavorful with slow cooking. Beef chuck roast, on the other hand, is more affordable and has more fat. This fat helps keep the meat moist and tender.

How to Prepare the Meat

It doesn’t matter which cut you pick. Just cut the beef into 1-inch cubes before cooking. This makes sure the meat cooks evenly and stays tender. Season the cubes well with spices like lemon pepper or herbs and garlic.

Cut of MeatCharacteristicsBest for Slow Cooking
Beef Chuck RoastAffordable, higher fat content, becomes tender when cooked low and slow✓
Top Round SteakLeaner cut, becomes tender and flavorful when slow cooked✓

By picking the right meat and preparing it right, you’re on your way to a delicious slow cooker beef tips with gravy. Your family will love it.

Creating Rich and Savory Gravy Base

The secret to the crockpot beef gravy in this slow cooker beef tips with gravy recipe is the flavorful gravy base. This base turns ordinary beef tips into a comforting dish.

To make the rich and savory gravy, mix dry onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, and beef broth in the slow cooker. This mix gives a robust flavor that goes well with the beef tips.

For more depth, add red wine or beef consommé to the gravy base. These optional ingredients add a complex flavor to the dish.

After preparing the gravy base, place the seasoned beef tips in the slow cooker. Let the flavors mix and the meat get tender over several hours.

Nutrition FactsPer Serving
Calories338
Carbohydrates13g
Protein43g
Fat12g
Saturated Fat4g
Polyunsaturated Fat1g
Monounsaturated Fat6g
Cholesterol112mg
Sodium768mg
Potassium1081mg
Fiber1g
Sugar4g
Vitamin A357IU
Vitamin C7mg
Calcium65mg
Iron5mg

With this rich gravy base, your slow cooker beef tips with gravy will be a hit. Its simplicity and rich flavor make it a family favorite.

The Importance of Searing Beef Before Slow Cooking

Creating a tasty slow cooker beef dinner starts with searing the beef tips first. This step brings out amazing flavors, turning your dish into a true delight.

Mastering the Maillard Reaction

The Maillard reaction happens when meat meets high heat. It creates hundreds of new flavors. Searing beef tips in a hot skillet starts this process. It caramelizes the meat’s surface, adding a deep, rich taste that slow cooking alone can’t match.

Tips for Perfect Searing

  • Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil to keep the skillet hot for searing.
  • Sear beef tips in batches to prevent uneven browning.
  • Let the meat get a deep, golden-brown crust before flipping. This is where the magic happens!
  • Don’t move the beef tips too much while searing. This helps the Maillard reaction.

By searing your beef tips before slow cooking, you’ll get a flavor explosion. This effort makes your slow cooker beef dinner truly unforgettable.

Step-by-Step Cooking Process

Making delicious crock pot beef tips or slow cooker beef tips with gravy is easy. Start by getting all the ingredients ready. You’ll need 2.50 pounds of top sirloin beef, cubed, 2 cups of low-sodium beef broth, and spices like Umami seasoning and thyme.

First, season the beef cubes with the spice mix. Then, sear the beef in a hot skillet. This step, called the Maillard reaction, adds a rich flavor to the dish.

  1. Put the seared beef tips in your slow cooker.
  2. Put the beef broth over the meat, making sure it covers all the cubes.
  3. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 4 hours. This makes the beef tender.

Two hours before finishing, thicken the gravy. Melt butter in a saucepan and mix in flour to make a roux. Slowly add this to the slow cooker, stirring well. This makes the gravy smooth and coats the crock pot beef tips perfectly.

IngredientQuantity
Top Sirloin Beef, Cubed2.50 pounds
Low-Sodium Beef Broth2 cups
Umami Seasoningto taste
Ground Celery Seedto taste
Ground Thymeto taste
Onion Powderto taste
Red Pepper Flakesto taste
Saltto taste
Black Pepperto taste
Butterfor roux
All-Purpose Flourfor roux

By following these steps, you’ll make a tasty slow cooker beef tips with gravy dish. It’s sure to please your family and friends.

slow cooker beef tips with gravy

“The secret to perfect crock pot beef tips lies in the slow cooking process, which allows the flavors to meld and the meat to become incredibly tender.”

Mastering the Perfect Gravy Consistency

Getting the right gravy consistency is crucial for your crockpot beef tips with gravy. You might like it thick and velvety or thinner. Learning a few tricks can help you get it just right every time.

Thickening Techniques

To thicken your gravy, you can use a butter and flour roux or a cornstarch slurry. For the roux, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Then, whisk in 4 tablespoons of flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty.

Next, slowly whisk in the beef broth from your crockpot. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes until it’s the right thickness.

Or, you can make a cornstarch slurry. Mix 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water. Whisk this into the hot gravy in the last 2 hours of cooking. The cornstarch will thicken the sauce.

Troubleshooting Common Gravy Issues

If your gravy is too thin, just heat it up and let it cook uncovered. This will help some of the liquid evaporate. If it’s too thick, add more beef broth or stock to thin it out.

Keep tasting the gravy and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. This will help you get the perfect flavor.

Gravy Consistency IssueSolution
Gravy is too thinCook uncovered at a higher heat to allow liquid to evaporate
Gravy is too thickAdd more beef broth or stock to thin it out

With these simple tips, you can make sure your crockpot beef tips with gravy are perfect. You’ll have a rich, velvety sauce that goes great with the tender beef.

Serving Suggestions and Side Dishes

Slow cooker beef tips with gravy are the ultimate comfort food. Serve it over beef tips over noodles or fluffy mashed potatoes. The rich gravy will mix perfectly with the starches, creating a delicious blend of flavors.

For a full comfort food beef tips experience, add steamed veggies like broccoli or carrots. These veggies will add a fresh contrast to the rich beef and gravy. Serve it with warm, crusty bread or homemade rolls for dipping in the gravy.

Serving SuggestionCaloriesProteinFat
Beef Tips over Egg Noodles649 kcal35 g49 g
Beef Tips over Mashed Potatoes550 kcal33 g27 g
Beef Tips with Steamed Broccoli390 kcal33 g19 g

However you serve your slow cooker beef tips, it will be a delightful meal. It will warm your soul and make your taste buds happy. Enjoy this classic dish today.

Storage and Reheating Guidelines

Enjoying a delicious slow cooker beef tips with gravy dinner is just the start. Proper storage and reheating are key to getting the most out of your leftovers. With a few simple tips, you can savor the flavors of this comforting dish for days to come.

Freezing Instructions

For longer-term storage, the slow cooker beef tips with gravy freezes exceptionally well. Once the dish has cooled completely, transfer the beef tips and gravy to airtight, freezer-safe bags or containers. Be sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Frozen, the beef tips will maintain their mouthwatering texture and flavor for up to 3 months.

Best Practices for Leftovers

  • Refrigerate leftover beef tips and gravy in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • When reheating, add a splash of beef broth or water to the gravy to help it regain its smooth, pourable consistency.
  • Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave, checking and stirring at 30-second intervals.
  • Serve the reheated beef tips and gravy over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice for a complete and satisfying meal.

By following these simple storage and reheating guidelines, you can enjoy the comforting flavors of your slow cooker beef tips with gravy long after the initial meal. Savor every bite of this delicious dish, whether fresh or reheated.

slow cooker beef dinner

Recipe Variations and Adaptations

The classic slow cooker beef tips with gravy recipe is loved by many. But, it’s even more fun to try new things. You can use different meats, add more veggies, and try unique spices to make it your own.

Beef stew meat is a great swap for traditional beef tips. It tastes similar but has a different texture. Sirloin or round steak can also be used for a leaner dish.

  • Adding mushrooms, pearl onions, or diced potatoes can make the dish even better. They add flavor and nutrients.
  • Try fresh thyme, rosemary, or a bit of Worcestershire sauce for a unique taste. It’s a fun way to experiment.
  • For a creamier gravy, use cream of chicken soup instead of mushroom. Or add a bit of heavy cream towards the end.

Choosing any variation, remember to use the best ingredients. Let the flavors mix together slowly. Let your creativity shine and find your own twist on this classic dish.

Time-Saving Tips and Meal Prep Strategies

Preparing a delicious slow cooker beef tips with gravy dish doesn’t have to be time-consuming. With a few strategic tips, you can enjoy this comforting easy beef tips recipe any night. Let’s explore some practical ways to make dinner faster.

Prepping Ingredients Ahead of Time

One of the best ways to save time is to prep your ingredients the night before. Chop the onions, mince the garlic, and measure out your spices. Store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator so they’re ready to go when it’s time to start cooking.

Using Pre-Cut Stew Meat

Instead of taking the time to trim and cut your own beef, opt for pre-cut slow cooker beef dinner stew meat. This not only saves you valuable prep time, but ensures consistent, bite-sized pieces of beef throughout your dish.

Maximizing the Slow Cooker

To speed up the cooking process, use the high setting on your slow cooker. This reduces the overall cooking time, letting you enjoy your easy beef tips even sooner. For best results, aim for 6-8 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.

Batch Cooking and Freezing

Why not make a larger batch of slow cooker beef tips and gravy and portion it out for future meals? Simply store the extra servings in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, just thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

With these time-saving tips and meal prep strategies, you can enjoy the comforting flavors of easy beef tips and slow cooker beef dinner any night of the week. Spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your loved ones.

Conclusion

Slow cooker beef tips with gravy are a delightful and comforting meal. They are easy to make and very satisfying. This dish can be adjusted to fit different tastes and diets, perfect for any day.

The mix of tender beef, savory gravy, and spices creates a rich flavor. It’s great for a cozy family dinner or to impress guests. This recipe will quickly become a favorite in your home.

Making this dish is simple, and it cooks itself. So, why not try it and enjoy the comforting taste of slow cooker beef tips with gravy? Your loved ones will love this delicious dish.

FAQ

What is the best cut of meat for slow cooker beef tips with gravy?

Chuck roast and round steak are perfect for this recipe. They get tender and flavorful when cooked slowly in the slow cooker.

How do I prepare the meat for the slow cooker?

Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes. Season them with lemon pepper or your favorite seasoning before adding to the slow cooker.

What makes the gravy so rich and savory?

The gravy base includes dry onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, and beef broth. These ingredients make a flavorful and creamy sauce.

Why is it important to sear the beef before slow cooking?

Searing the beef in a hot skillet before slow cooking enhances flavor. It adds depth and complexity to the dish.

How can I thicken the gravy in the slow cooker?

Thicken the gravy with a roux made from butter and flour, or a cornstarch slurry. Add these thickeners in the last two hours of cooking.

What are some good side dishes to serve with the slow cooker beef tips?

Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles to soak up the gravy. Add steamed vegetables like broccoli or carrots for a balanced meal.

How do I store and reheat the leftovers?

Cool the beef tips and gravy, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding broth if needed.

Can I make any variations to this recipe?

Yes, try different cuts like sirloin or stew meat. Add vegetables like mushrooms, pearl onions, or potatoes. Replace cream of mushroom soup with cream of chicken for a different taste.

What are some time-saving tips for this recipe?

Prep ingredients the night before and store in the fridge. Use pre-cut stew meat to save time. For quicker cooking, use the high setting on your slow cooker.