Looking for an easy weeknight meal? These mouthwatering beef tips made in the slow cooker are perfect for dinner. They are tender and delicious.
Want to save this post?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I'll send you the latest recipes and tips every week!
I am already thinking about fall and all the tasty and warm recipes that come with it. One thing that I love about this time of year is all the slow cooker recipes like this slow cooker pepper steak or this slow cooker pork loin. The slow cooker just makes life so much simpler especially after a hectic day.
These slow cooker beef tips with gravy are a life saver for me right now. I can come home, and they are already ready to enjoy. The slow cooker allows the meat to tenderize so well. The seasonings truly enhance and bring out all the fall flavors. I enjoy this over a bed of rice or sometimes with this broccoli salad.
I must also tell you about the amazing homemade sauce on these beef tips. You will never go back to a store-bought packet to make the sauce. To create this fabulous sauce, I am using just beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, a few seasonings, and a cornstarch-based slurry that coats every inch of the caramelized beef. It is truly mouthwatering, and I just know you will absolutely enjoy every bite.
Ingredients
You only need a few ingredients and seasonings to make these creamy beef tips come together.
- Top sirloin- Cubed top sirloin is the best as it lends to tender meat. You can also use stew meat, chuck roast or sirloin tri tip.
- Olive oil- For searing the meat.
- Beef broth- Low sodium broth is used so you can control the salt.
- Worcestershire sauce- Adds wonderful umami flavoring to the sauce.
- Seasonings- Italian seasoning, paprika, and minced garlic bring fragrant flavors to the beef and sauce.
- Onion- Diced and pairs so well with the meat.
- Bay leaf- Adds flavor and subtle aroma to the beef tips while slow cooking.
- Water + Cornstarch- Used to make the slurry to create a nice, thickened sauce for the beef tips.
- Salt + Pepper- Seasoning for the meat.
Scroll down to the recipe card for quantities used.
Instructions
Let’s get our slow cooker ready to work for us. Gather the cubed sirloin, seasonings and pan to begin preparing this amazing dish.
Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef cubes, season with ⅛ teaspoon of salt and some fresh ground black pepper. Sear for a minute each side, then transfer to the slow cooker.
Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, paprika, diced onions, and minced garlic over the beef. Tuck in the bay leaf.
Cover and cook on Low setting for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, or until the beef is tender and can be easily shredded with a fork.
In a small bowl, mix ¾ teaspoon of water and cornstarch until smooth. Add this mixture to the slow cooker, stirring until the sauce thickens.
Cook for an additional 10 minutes on Low.
Remove the bay leaf and serve.
Hint: sear the beef in a hot skillet before adding it to the slow cooker. This step enhances the flavor through caramelization and adds depth to your dish. After searing, deglaze the pan with some broth or wine, then pour that liquid into the slow cooker along with your other ingredients. This will help incorporate all those flavorful bits into your final dish!
Variations
- Change the cut of beef. Instead of top sirloin, you can use any meat that will remain tender until slow cooking such as chuck roast, stew meat, round roast or tri top sirloin. If you are using another type of meat, the fat content may be higher so you might want to trim any excess fat before going into the slow cooker.
- Soy sauce. You can use this in place of Worcestershire sauce to still give the sauce that umami flavoring.
- Make spicier. Add in a handful of diced jalapenos or add in additional spices such as cumin or chili powder for a spicier taste.
- Add vegetables. Feel free to add your favorite vegetables like carrots, mushrooms and potatoes to the slow cooker for a complete meal. Add more stock or water in this case to partially cover the vegetables.
- Make in the Instant Pot. Place on sauté setting. Add meat and onions and cook until browned. Cancel sauté setting and pour in broth, seasonings and Worcestershire sauce. Add lid and make sure valve is sealed. Press the manual button and set pressure to 15 minutes. Once finished do a quick release and remove lid. Add in slurry mixture. Set to sauté bringing the beef to a boil until sauce thickens.
Try adding peppers and onions for a slow cooker pepper steak that will taste amazing over rice.
Tips
Top tip: Make sure the meat that you choose is lean without any excess fat to avoid too much grease. If you are using a fatter meat, trim off any excess fat before placing in slow cooker to lessen grease.
- Cut meat evenly. In this recipe, they should be cubed in size. This will help the meat cook evenly and should guarantee that they will be tender.
- Sear the meat. This will help give a depth of flavor to the meat before slow cooking along with a caramelized crust.
- Adjust the cooking time based on your slow cooker’s settings and the thickness of the meat. It should be cooked until tender and reaches the recommended internal temperature of 145F degrees for medium.
- Watch the liquid. Sometimes the liquid can evaporate in the slow cooker so make sure the lid is on tight. If you notice a decrease in liquid, add a little bit extra broth and make sure the meat is covered.
- Stir slurry to create the sauce. Stir the water and cornstarch mixture until sauce is thickened. Let cook an additional 10 minutes before turning heat off.
- To thicken sauce more, remove lid from the slow cooker the last few minutes of cooking.
Serving suggestions
Slow cooker beef tips with gravy pair so well with a side of mashed potatoes, white rice or overtop a bed of egg noodles. If you are eating low carb, they taste great with a side of cauliflower rice.
You might also like to try these beef tips with a side of carrots or green beans for a complete meal. You can also put these vegetables in the slow cooker with the meat so the flavors mend together.
The thickened sauce from this recipe goes so well with crusty bread such as this artisan bread. If you are wanting something a little softer, these buttermilk biscuits are a must. Both can mop up any of the excess sauce nicely.
Storage
Place any leftover beef tips in an airtight container or bag. They can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. To reheat, place in a sauce pan over medium heat and cook until warmed. Stirring occasionally to loosen sauce.
Beef tips with gravy freeze so well. Place any leftovers in a freezer safe airtight container or bag in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. Take out and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop.
FAQs
This is preferred as it adds a depth of flavor and caramelized edges. If you choose not to do this, just make sure the meat has thawed so that it will cook evenly in the slow cooker.
In this recipe, I like using top sirloin cut into cubes. You can use any cut that will remain tender until prolonged heat such as stew meat, chuck roasts and sirloin tri tip.
Follow the instructions and use the exact amount of water and cornstarch listed to ensure a nice thick sauce. You can remove the lid of the slow cooker in the last 10 minutes of cooking to let some moisture evaporate and the sauce will be thick.
Related Recipes
Here are a few more slow cooker small-batch recipes that you may want to try:
- Chicken taco meat is so easy to prepare in a crock pot.
- Pork chops in a slow cooker always come out tender.
- Buffalo chicken dip is a favorite for small gatherings.
- Cabbage soup is a delicious way to enjoy veggies.
- Slow cooker vegetable soup is perfect for lunch.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to see more recipes.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Beef Tips
Ingredients
- ½ pound top sirloin cubed
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ teaspoon water
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef cubes, season with ⅛ teaspoon of salt and some fresh ground black pepper. Sear for a minute each side, then transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, paprika, diced onions, and minced garlic over the beef. Tuck in the bay leaf.
- Cover and cook on Low setting for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, or until the beef is tender and can be easily shredded with a fork.
- In a small bowl, mix ¾ teaspoon of water and cornstarch until smooth. Add this mixture to the slow cooker, stirring until the sauce thickens. Cook for an additional 10 minutes on Low.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve.
Comments
No Comments