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Slow Cooker Beef Tips With Gravy – Christmas Eve Dinner Ideas

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Beef: 2 to 2.5 pounds beef stew meat or sirloin tips, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
  • Onion: 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • Mushrooms (optional): 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
  • Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
  • Beef broth: 2 cups, low-sodium
  • Worcestershire sauce: 2 tablespoons
  • Tomato paste: 1 tablespoon
  • Soy sauce (optional for depth): 1 tablespoon, low-sodium
  • Dry red wine (optional): 1/2 cup
  • Butter: 2 tablespoons
  • Olive oil: 1 tablespoon (for searing)
  • Flour or cornstarch: 3 tablespoons flour OR 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Bay leaf: 1
  • Dried thyme: 1/2 teaspoon (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
  • Black pepper: 1 teaspoon, freshly ground
  • Kosher salt: 1 to 1.5 teaspoons, to taste
  • Fresh parsley: For garnish
  • To serve: Mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice

Method
 

  1. Season the beef. Pat the beef dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. This helps the sear and boosts flavor.
  2. Quick sear for flavor. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear the beef in batches for 1–2 minutes per side until browned. Don’t overcrowd. Transfer to the slow cooker.
  3. Sauté aromatics. In the same pan, melt butter. Add onion and mushrooms; cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds. Scrape in any browned bits with a splash of wine or broth.
  4. Build the sauce. Whisk together beef broth, Worcestershire, tomato paste, soy sauce, thyme, and wine (if using). Pour over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker. Add the bay leaf.
  5. Slow cook. Cover and cook on Low for 6–8 hours or High for 3–4 hours, until the beef is very tender.
  6. Thicken the gravy. Whisk flour with 1/3 cup cold water (or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water) to make a slurry. Stir into the slow cooker. Cook 15–20 minutes more on High until the gravy is glossy and slightly thick. Adjust salt and pepper.
  7. Finish and serve. Remove bay leaf. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve over creamy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or fluffy rice.