Tender Crockpot Beef Tips That Practically Make Themselves
These fall-apart tender crockpot beef tips are slow-cooked in a rich, savory onion gravy until melt-in-your-mouth perfect. The easiest weeknight dinner you'll make all season.
The Easiest Beef Tips You Will Ever Make
Some recipes are worth standing over a hot stove for hours. This is not one of them, and that is exactly the point. These crockpot beef tips are the kind of dinner that makes you look like you spent all day cooking when really your slow cooker did all the heavy lifting. You get deeply savory, fall-apart tender beef swimming in a rich, glossy onion gravy, all with about 15 minutes of actual effort on your part.
Whether you call them easy beef tips crockpot style, crockpot meals with beef tips, or just "that thing everyone asks for the recipe for," this dish has earned a permanent spot in the weeknight dinner rotation.
Why This Recipe Works So Well
The magic here comes down to a few key things. Low and slow cooking breaks down the connective tissue in beef stew meat, transforming tough, affordable cuts into something buttery and luxurious. The combination of onion soup mix, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste creates a deeply layered, umami-packed gravy without requiring you to build a sauce from scratch.
And then there is the sear. Yes, it adds one extra pan to wash. Yes, it is completely worth it. That caramelized brown crust on the outside of each beef chunk is what separates a good beef tips crockpot recipe from a truly great one.
Chef's Tip: Never skip patting your beef dry before searing. Moisture is the enemy of a good crust. Dry beef browns beautifully. Wet beef just steams.
The Tools and Ingredients That Make a Difference
A reliable 6-quart slow cooker and a heavy-bottomed skillet for searing are the two things that will make or break this recipe. Using quality beef broth and a good Worcestershire sauce also adds noticeable depth to the final gravy.
Choosing the Right Cut of Beef
Beef stew meat is the most accessible option and works wonderfully here, but knowing what you are buying helps. Look for cuts labeled as chuck roast or round that have been pre-cut into chunks. Chuck is the gold standard because its higher fat marbling keeps the meat moist and flavorful through the long cook.
If your grocery store only has very large stew meat chunks, take a minute to trim them down to roughly 1.5-inch pieces so they cook evenly and are easy to eat.
Tips for the Best Crockpot Beef Tips
- Do not overcrowd the pan when searing. Work in two or three batches if needed. Crowding drops the pan temperature and causes steaming instead of browning.
- Add mushrooms for extra depth. Cremini mushrooms melt into the gravy and add a rich, earthy note that makes the whole dish taste more complex.
- Use the cornstarch slurry at the end. Stirring it in during the final 20 minutes thickens the gravy from watery to glossy and spoon-coating without any lumps.
- Cook on LOW if you can. The LOW setting for 7 to 8 hours produces more tender, evenly cooked beef than blasting it on HIGH.
Make it your own: Swap the onion soup mix for a packet of brown gravy mix if you prefer a slightly milder flavor profile. Both versions are delicious.
Ready to let your slow cooker do the work? Here is everything you need:
Tender Crockpot Beef Tips That Practically Make Themselves
These fall-apart tender crockpot beef tips are slow-cooked in a rich, savory onion gravy until melt-in-your-mouth perfect. The easiest weeknight dinner you'll make all season.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1.5-inch chunks, patted dry
- 1 oz onion soup mix, one standard packet
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth, low sodium preferred
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 garlic, cloves, minced
- 1 yellow onion, large, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil, for searing
- 2 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp cold water to make a slurry
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 8 oz mushrooms, cremini or button, sliced, optional but highly recommended
Instruction
Pat the beef chunks completely dry with paper towels. Season generously with black pepper and dried thyme.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Do not skip this step as it builds the flavor base of the whole dish.
Transfer the seared beef to the bottom of your slow cooker.
In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer everything to the slow cooker.
Add the sliced mushrooms on top of the beef and onions.
In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, onion soup mix packet, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste until combined. Pour the mixture evenly over everything in the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and falling apart.
About 20 minutes before serving, stir the cornstarch slurry into the slow cooker. Replace the lid and let cook on HIGH for 15 to 20 minutes until the gravy has thickened to your liking.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice, and spoon plenty of that rich gravy on top.
Equipment
- 6-quart slow cooker or larger
- Large skillet or cast iron pan
- Tongs
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Cutting board and knife
Notes
Serving and Storing Your Beef Tips
Creamy mashed potatoes are the undisputed champion pairing here. The fluffy potatoes soak up all that incredible onion gravy and every bite is pure comfort. Egg noodles and white rice are excellent runners-up.
Leftovers actually taste even better the next day once the flavors have had time to meld. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. When reheating, add a small splash of beef broth to bring the gravy back to a perfect consistency.
