Ultimate Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy: Effortless Comfort Food with Rich, Homemade Flavor
Prepare to experience the ultimate in comfort food with this Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy recipe. Imagine fork-tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef pieces enveloped in a deeply rich, savory gravy that’s bursting with flavor. This isn’t just another slow cooker meal; it’s a culinary embrace, perfect for serving over a bed of fluffy rice, hearty egg noodles, or creamy mashed potatoes. Best of all? This incredible dish achieves its phenomenal taste without any reliance on canned soups or pre-made mixes, ensuring a fresh, homemade quality that will truly satisfy your cravings.
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Why You’ll Love This Homemade Beef Tips and Gravy Recipe
This delectable dish, sometimes known as Beef Tips and Rice or Beef Tips and Noodles, is incredibly versatile, allowing you to choose your favorite base for serving this satisfying slow cooker meal. Beyond its adaptability, there are so many reasons why this easy Beef Tips and Gravy recipe will become a new family favorite:
- Effortlessly Easy Slow Cooker Meal: This crockpot beef tips and gravy recipe is designed for simplicity. After a few initial steps, your slow cooker does all the hard work, slowly transforming simple ingredients into a gourmet-level meal. It’s ideal for busy weeknights when you want a hearty dinner without constant fuss.
- Richly Satisfying Flavors: Every bite of this slow cooker beef tips and gravy offers a burst of savory goodness. The tender beef, combined with the deeply flavorful gravy, creates a truly comforting and satisfying experience that will please even the pickiest eaters.
- Budget-Friendly and Feeds a Crowd: Made with economical cuts of beef like chuck roast or stew meat, this recipe is incredibly kind to your wallet. It effortlessly feeds a family of eight (or provides delicious leftovers!), making it a perfect choice for gatherings or meal prepping.
- The Epitome of Comfort Food: There’s something inherently comforting about tender beef simmered in a rich, warm gravy. This dish embodies everything you seek in a classic comfort meal, providing warmth and nostalgia with every spoonful.
- Achieve Deep Flavor with Simple Ingredients: You don’t need a pantry full of exotic spices to make this slow cooker beef tips recipe shine. A handful of common ingredients come together in the crockpot to create an incredibly complex and savory flavor profile that tastes like it simmered all day.
- No Canned Soups or Brown Gravy Mixes: A standout feature of this recipe is its commitment to homemade goodness. You won’t find any cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, or pre-packaged brown gravy mix here. We achieve that luscious, thick gravy and rich flavor from scratch, ensuring a healthier and more authentic taste.
For more easy and satisfying dinner ideas, explore some of our other favorite dinner recipes like French Bread Sloppy Joes, Classic Pot Roast, Pesto Focaccia Ham, Turkey, and Cheese Sandwich, Italian Sausage Rigatoni, and Slow Cooker Roast Chicken.
You’ll find a complete list of all the necessary ingredients, precise measurements, and step-by-step instructions in the detailed recipe card located below.
How to Make Perfect Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy
While this recipe might involve a few more initial steps than a typical “dump-and-go” slow cooker meal, particularly compared to beef tips and gravy recipes that rely on creamed soups, I promise you it’s incredibly well worth the extra effort. These simple steps ensure an unparalleled depth of flavor and that coveted melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
- Season and Flour the Beef: In a large mixing bowl, take your beef tips and season them generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. This initial seasoning is crucial for building flavor. Next, add the all-purpose flour to the bowl and toss the meat until each piece is evenly coated. The flour serves two purposes: it helps create a beautiful brown crust during searing and acts as a natural thickener for your rich gravy later on.
- Sear the Beef for Maximum Flavor: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. This high heat is key to achieving a beautiful crust. Sear the beef in 2 or 3 batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Crowding lowers the pan temperature and steams the meat instead of browning it. Browning is essential as it creates rich, complex flavors through the Maillard reaction. Once nicely browned on all sides, transfer the seared beef to your slow cooker using a slotted spoon, leaving behind any drippings in the skillet. Keep the bowl with the remaining excess flour to the side; you’ll need it later for the gravy.
- Add Aromatics and Seasonings: Evenly sprinkle the dried thyme and Italian seasoning over the seared beef tips in the slow cooker. These herbs infuse the dish with classic savory notes. Then, add the diced onion and minced garlic. These aromatics will slowly soften and sweeten as they cook, adding incredible depth to the gravy. In the same bowl where you floured the beef (this ensures you capture all those flavorful bits of flour), whisk together the low sodium beef broth and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. This mixture will form the base of your rich, thick gravy. Finally, pour this broth mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook to Perfection: Cover your slow cooker and let the magic happen! Cook on low heat for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. The longer, slower cook time on low is often preferred for optimal tenderness, allowing the beef to break down beautifully and absorb all the incredible flavors. The beef should be incredibly fork-tender, practically falling apart, when done. Remember to season to taste with additional salt and pepper after cooking, if needed.
How to Serve This Delicious Crock Pot Beef Tips Recipe
This easy crockpot beef tips and gravy is a hearty and complete meal all on its own, especially when served over a comforting base. The classic choices are fluffy white rice, tender egg noodles, or creamy quick mashed potatoes, each absorbing the rich, savory gravy beautifully. To elevate your meal and add a touch of freshness and nutrition, consider pairing it with a vibrant side dish.
For a perfect accompaniment, try serving your beef tips with crisp Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms, flavorful Oven Roasted Broccoli, or a refreshing Cucumber and Radish Salad. The contrasting textures and flavors will truly make the beef and gravy shine. And don’t forget to complete your ultimate comfort food experience with a side of warm, fluffy bread to soak up every last drop of that incredible gravy. Our Soft and Fluffy One Hour Rolls are an excellent choice!
Expert Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy
Achieving perfectly tender beef tips and a luscious, flavorful gravy is simple with these expert tips:
- Choose the Right Cut of Beef: For the most moist and tender beef tips, always opt for beef chuck roast, sirloin, or stew meat. These cuts have a good amount of connective tissue and fat marbling, which breaks down beautifully during slow cooking, resulting in succulent, fall-apart beef. Make sure to cut the beef into uniform, large bite-sized pieces, trimming any excess fat. Remember, the beef will shrink slightly as it cooks.
- Don’t Skip the Searing Step: Searing the meat first is a crucial step that locks in the juices and creates a deep, caramelized crust. This browning process, known as the Maillard reaction, adds an incredible layer of rich, complex flavor that you simply can’t achieve by skipping this step. When searing, work in 2 or 3 batches to avoid overcrowding your skillet. Crowding will steam the meat instead of browning it, leading to a less flavorful outcome.
- Control Salt with Low Sodium Broth: To ensure you have full control over the salt content in your delicious beef tips and gravy, always use low sodium beef broth. This allows you to season the dish to your personal taste at the end of the cooking process without worrying about it being overly salty. If you only have regular beef broth on hand, simply omit the initial salt from the recipe and adjust to taste at the very end.
- Achieve Your Desired Gravy Thickness: If you prefer a thicker gravy, it’s easy to adjust. After the beef is cooked and tender, remove about 1/2 cup of the hot gravy from the slow cooker. In a separate small bowl, whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until a smooth slurry forms. Stir this slurry back into the slow cooker and cook on high for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the gravy has thickened to your liking. The cornstarch will prevent lumps and create a beautifully smooth, rich consistency.
- Thinning the Gravy: Conversely, if your gravy is too thick or you desire a slightly looser consistency, simply stir in a little more low sodium beef broth, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your preferred texture.
- Do Not Lift the Lid: Resist the temptation to peek! Every time you open the slow cooker lid, a significant amount of heat escapes, extending the cooking time by at least 15-20 minutes. Keep the lid on tight to maintain a consistent cooking temperature for the most tender beef.
Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy
The key to incredibly tender beef tips lies in two main factors: the cut of meat and the cooking method. As mentioned, using cuts like beef chuck roast, top sirloin, or stew meat is ideal because their connective tissues break down into gelatin during long, slow cooking, resulting in that desirable melt-in-your-mouth texture. If, after the suggested cooking time, your beef isn’t as tender as you’d like, simply continue cooking it in the slow cooker. Beef needs time for those tough fibers to relax and soften; it will eventually become fork-tender with continued low and slow heat.
To properly store your delicious leftover beef tips and gravy, first ensure it has cooled completely to room temperature. Transfer the cooled dish into an airtight container. It can then be refrigerated safely for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, gently reheat it in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat until it’s warmed through, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Absolutely! This slow cooker beef tips and gravy recipe freezes beautifully because the gravy is broth-based and does not contain any dairy or cream, which can sometimes separate or change texture upon freezing and thawing. Once the dish has cooled completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bags. Make sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To enjoy, simply thaw the frozen beef tips and gravy in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until thoroughly warm.
More Irresistible Slow Cooker Recipes
If you loved the ease and flavor of these Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy, you’ll definitely want to explore more delicious slow cooker creations. These recipes make weeknight dinners a breeze and are packed with comforting flavors:
Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs Beef chuck roast (or sirloin or stew meat) fat trimmed, cut into large bite size pieces
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Dried thyme
- 1 cup Onion diced
- 1 Bay leaf
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 cups Low sodium beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
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In a large bowl, thoroughly season the beef tips with kosher salt and black pepper. Add the all-purpose flour and toss the meat until it’s evenly coated on all sides. This flour coating will help create a beautiful sear and thicken your gravy.2 1/2 lbs Beef chuck roast (or sirloin or stew meat), 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, 1/2 tsp Black pepper, 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
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Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 or 3 batches to prevent overcrowding, sear the beef until it’s beautifully browned on all sides, adding more oil as needed between batches. This crucial step develops deep flavor. Transfer the seared meat to your slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Reserve the bowl with any remaining flour; do not discard it.
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Sprinkle the dried thyme and Italian seasoning evenly over the beef in the slow cooker. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, distributing them among the meat.1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp Dried thyme, 1 cup Onion, 3 cloves Garlic
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In the bowl containing the reserved flour, whisk together the low sodium beef broth and Worcestershire sauce until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Pour this flavorful broth mixture over the beef in the slow cooker, then add the bay leaf, submerging it slightly.2 cups Low sodium beef broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 Bay leaf
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Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is incredibly tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. Taste the gravy and beef, then season to your preference with additional salt and pepper if needed.
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If you desire a thicker gravy, remove about 1/2 cup of the hot gravy from the slow cooker and whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until smooth. Return this slurry to the slow cooker, stir well, and cook on high for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until thickened. If you prefer a thinner gravy, simply stir in a little more beef broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
Notes
Storing and Freezing: Allow any leftovers to cool completely before storing. Place the beef tips and gravy in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. This dish also freezes beautifully for longer storage; transfer cooled portions to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.