Easy Slow Cooker Beef Tips With Gravy

This slow cooker beef tips with gravy is the perfect weeknight meal for busy families. My kids LOVE steak, but it’s harder to get motivated to grill on cold winter nights. This easy dinner is a great way to still get steak on the menu without all the fuss. Serve these over creamy mashed potatoes or buttery egg noodles with a side of veggies and dinner is served.

As always, I’ve taken the more complicated version of this recipe and simplified the process and ingredients to make it as easy as possible without sacrificing the flavor.

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Tools for This Recipe

Large Skillet: I like to use either a large stainless steel skillet or my favorite cast iron skillet when searing meat. The stainless steel version can go in the dishwasher and is so easy to clean and the cast iron works great for getting a good sear.

Slow Cooker: I use a 6 quart slow cooker for this recipe. I love the Crock-Pot version because it has a locking lid that makes it super easy to move around without making a mess. We also use it for tailgating and potlucks since we are confident nothing will spill out in the car.

To see more of my favorite kitchen items, check out this post.

Ingredients

• Beef: I usually use top sirloin for this recipe. It’s a leaner cut of meat that is great for slow cooking. I’ve also used a package of stew meat or cut up chuck roast in a pinch.
• Oil: You will need a little oil in the skillet to brown the beef. I use olive oil the most for cooking, but you can easily swap it out for whatever oil you have on hand. Vegetable or avocado oil will work just fine in this recipe.
• Seasoning: The seasoning needed for this recipe is super simple. Seasoned salt, freshly ground black pepper, Italian seasoning, and a bay leaf. You can add any of your favorite seasonings here. I’ve used steak seasoning in a pinch when I was out of seasoned salt. Adjust the seasoning blend to whatever works best for your family.
• Beef Broth: We have used both beef broth and beef stock in this recipe and it tastes great either way. I rarely keep a lot of either on hand, so my go-to is better than bouillon. I always keep a jar of both the chicken and the beef flavors in my fridge for any recipe that calls for broth. If you decide to use the bouillon or bouillon cubes, add 2 cups of water and the amount of bouillon per cup recommended on the package.
• Worchestershire Sauce: This sauce adds a depth of flavor to the gravy. If you don’t have any on hand, soy sauce or a splash of balsamic vinegar are great substitutes.
• Diced Onion and Minced Garlic: I tend to grab whatever onion we have on hand. We have used white and yellow onion and can’t tell much of a difference. I’ve recently started buying bags of chopped onions in the freezer section of my grocery store to cut down on prep time. They aren’t great when eating them raw, but the frozen version works great for slow cooker recipes. If I have fresh garlic, I will mince some for this recipe, however, I tend to reach for my jarlic to make the prep a little easier.
• Slurry: The gravy will be thin with this recipe, so I recommend adding a slurry at the end to thicken it up if your family likes a more traditional gravy-like consistency. Cornstarch or flour both work great. Just remember to cook it for a little while after adding the surry so that you don’t get a raw four taste.

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy

1. Start by heating the olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add your beef cubes and season them with seasoned salt and black pepper. Sear the meat on all sides (about 2-3 minutes per side). You don’t need to fully cook the meat during this step. You just want to get that golden brown sear on the meat. Transfer seared beef to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon. If you are in a rush, you can skip this step and just add your meat directly to the slow cooker.
2. After transferring the seared steak to the slow cooker, return the skillet to the stove and reduce the heat to medium. Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet. Stir gently for 1-2 minutes to loosen any meat drippings from the pan. This step is great for getting all of the delicious bits of meat and seasoning off of the pan and added to your gravy You can also skip this step just like above if you are in a hurry and would rather put everything directly in your slow cooker.
3. Add the remaining ingredients (Italian seasoning, diced onion, and garlic) on top of the beef and gravy mixture. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. You’ll notice I had thyme in my original picture. If your Italian seasoning blend does not have thyme, I recommend adding a teaspoon or so during this step. If you like your beef cubes to be intact, take an hour or so off of your cook time. We like ours so tender they fall apart a little, so we go for a longer cooking time.
4. For thicker gravy, combine water and cornstarch or flour in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Add the mixture to the slow cooker and stir to thicken the sauce. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.
5. Serve the beef tips with gravy over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice. We are split in our family with half of us preferring potatoes and the other half pouring ours over egg noodles. It tastes great with both. My son and I love to sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on some egg noodles and topping them with the beef and the gravy. Adding parsley at the end is completely optional. I personally love the extra flavor and color that it adds to the dish.

Here’s a great resource for how to make the most of your slow cooker meals.

Have you tried this slow cooker beef tips with gravy recipe? Let us know in the comments!