This recipe for Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy is based on a simple and not terribly expensive cut of lean round steak. Simple seasonings, beef consomme and red wine makes for a rich, luscious gravy and an unforgettable meal. And we take advantage of the slow cooker to impart tenderness.
This is one of those recipes that will keep you feeling warm and cozy even when the snow is falling. And here in Colorado, we know a thing or two about cold snowy Winter nights.
This recipe for Crock Pot Beef Tips with Gravy is one of my go-to comfort food recipes. It’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner and special enough for Sunday dinner. This recipe is at the top of our slow cooker list along with my Beef Stew with Mushrooms.
This is one of those meals that takes advantage of the crockpot’s ability to cook an inexpensive cut of meat into a state of sheer tenderness. And it uses that long cooking time to build layers of unforgettable flavor.
For that stick-to-your-ribs goodness, serve Beef Tips with Gravy over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Don’t forget a bright colored vegetable, like steamed broccoli or roasted carrots to complete the meal.
This recipe comes from my neighbor Lilly who makes this for her father for his birthday every year.
Let’s take a look at how to make Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Two Cans Beef Consomme Soup: You can also use can of beef broth, but the flavor won’t be as quite as rich.
- Red Wine: Use a dry full bodied red wine such as Caberbet Sauvignon or Merlot. Woodbridge makes small bottles that are sold in a pack of four. I always keep those on hand for cooking wine.
- Mushrooms: I like to use baby bellas for their rustic dark color. Regular white button mushrooms will also work fine.
- All Purpose Flour and Butter: Used to make the gravy, rather than using a gravy mix packet.
- Soy Sauce: Use regular or low-sodium.
- Oil: We use oil to sear the meat to add a layer of Maillard Reaction for flavor. Choose a neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil. Olive oil has flavor and a lower smoking point, which won’t sear the meat as quickly or efficiently.
- Seasonings: Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and Fresh Ground Black Pepper. What? No Salt? The Beef Consomme Soup and Soy Sauce provide plenty of salty flavors.
- Top Round Steak: Cut into cubes.
- Note: Adding a bay leaf to the crockpot at the beginning of cook time certainly won’t hurt. Just remember to remove it before serving.
Step By Step Instructions, It’s Easy!
- Step 1: Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat and brown beef chunks on two sides. Do this in batches, as overcrowding the pan will result in poor searing. Remove beef chunks to a plate once they’re seared.
- Step 2: Use a damp paper towel to clean mushrooms. Cut them in quarters and sear in the same pan, until starting to brown, stirring frequently.
- Step 3: Add all ingredients other than the flour and butter to the crock pot. Cook on low for six hours. Two hours before cooking time is complete, melt the butter in a small fry pan or sauce pan. Add the flour and stir until the flour starts to turn to a caramel color. Add to the crockpot and continue cooking for two hours. This will make the gravy.
In asking more than a handful of guys at the butcher counter, the answers were varied. They can be labeled as Beef Tips if they are smaller cuts of meat, or odds and ends that are left over from breaking down larger pieces of meat, such as tenderloins, or roasts. For this recipe I used a round steak and cut it into “tips”.
No, and they shouldn’t be. Stew meat is packaged from beef cuts that have lots of tough connective tissue, such as chuck. If you can’t find meat labeled as Beef Tips, don’t purchase stew meat. A better choice is a lean top round sirloin steak.
Leftovers
This is one of those recipes that is bound to taste better the next day.
- Keep refrigerated for up to five days in an airtight container.
- Reheat in a saucepan stovetop, or in the microwave.
I like freezing beef tips and gravy in a zip-lock style freezer bag. Just squeeze the air out and lay flat in the freezer to maximize storage space. It will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
Tips For Success
- Don’t skip searing the meat. And don’t crowd the pan when doing so. Getting a good sear on the beef adds an incredible layer of flavor. Chefs call this Maillard Reaction.
- What no salt? The ingredient list does not contain adding salt. The reason for this is that the consomme and the soy sauce add a salty flavor.
- When choosing a round steak, ask your butcher for a Top Round which has been cut for London Broil, which is a thick steak for roasting or grilling. Or look for a large Top Sirloin Steak.
Slow Cooker beef tips with gravy offers a delicious and convenient way to enjoy a hearty meal with minimal effort. With tender beef cooked to perfection in a rich and savory gravy, this aromas that fill your house while it cooks is pure comfort. So, grab your ingredients, set your slow cooker, and get ready to enjoy in a satisfying meal that will have everyone asking for more.
More Recipes You Might Like
And if you’re looking for more recipes for beef for dinner, don’t miss my category for Beef Recipes, you’ll find lots of great recipes including the most popular on my site for Beef Tagliata, an Italian steak recipe that’s easy and crowd pleasing.
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Slow Cooker Beef Tips With Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Neutral oil vegetable or Canola oil works well here
- 2 pounds Choice Beef Top Round Steak Can be labeled as London Broil.
- 16 ounces Button Mushrooms Baby Bella, wiped clean and quartered
- 21 ounces Beef Consomme Soup concentrated, 2-10.5 ounce cans
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ cup Red Wine Cabernet or Merlot
- ½ can Water use the water to swirl around in the cans to get the most flavor from the consomme
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Flour
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large heavy skillet and brown beef chunks on two sides. Do this in batches, as overcrowding the pan will result in poor searing. Remove the beef tips to a plate once seared.
- Use a damp paper towel to clean mushrooms. Cut them in quarters and sear in the same pan as the beef. Sear until starting to brown, stirring frequently.
- Place the beef tips and the mushrooms in the crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients except for the flour and butter. They'll be used later to make the gravy. Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Two hours before the cooking time is complete. Melt butter in a small fry pan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to turn a caramel color. Scrape the roux into the crock pot. Continue to cook for two hours. The butter and flour will thicken to a gravy texture.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or cooked egg noodles.
Notes
- Don’t skip searing the meat. And don’t crowd the pan when doing so. Getting a good sear on the beef adds an incredible layer of flavor. Chefs call this Maillard Reaction.
- What no salt? The ingredient list does not contain adding salt. The reason for this is that the consomme and the soy sauce add a salty flavor.
Nutrition
Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy … It’s What’s for Dinner
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
Larry says
They look delicious Chef. I don’t recall ever making beef tips or ordering them in a restaurant so I may have never had them but I’ve been thinking about them since daughter Kathy said she was making them in her cafe. I will give yours a try soon.