This is an old favorite of mine and some of the best comfort food you’ll ever make. Easy crockpot beef tips are just that, EASY — and so they’re delicious!
In this recipe you’ll get some tips to elevate this old school recipe into something really special. You’ll also get some recommendations on which sides go best with crockpot beef tips.
Jump to RecipeWhat Cut of Beef Is Best for Beef Tips?
My personal favorite cut of meat for crockpot beef tips is chuck roast. It’s super affordable, flavorful, and becomes tender when cooked low and slow.
Chuck roast has a good amount of marbling, which is great for flavor and is easily trimmed for making crockpot beef tips.
Stew meat, often pre-cut and sold in most grocery stores, is another solid choice since it’s ready to go out of the package. Stew meat is usually just diced up chuck roast, but it can also be made from other cuts.
I’ve seen “stew meat” cut from sirloin, round, flank, and skirt steak. So, be mindful of that when you’re buying anything labeled stew meat to make these tender beef tips.
If you’re looking for a leaner option, I recommend sirloin. It has less fat but still has great flavor and gets very tender in the crockpot.
Can Beef Tips Be Made using Only the Crockpot?
The answer is yes, you can simply dump all of the ingredients I have listed in this recipe into the crockpot. The result will be some good beef tips.
However, if you want the best crockpot beef tips, I highly recommend the process I outline below which makes use of a heavy bottom frying pan.
It’s only one extra item to clean, and it’s absolutely worth it. Searing the beef before adding it to the slow cooker brings this dish to another level.
What Makes This Recipe Easy?
If you’ve followed my blog for long, you’ll know I love to create my own spice blends for various dishes. From homemade BBQ rub, to Nashville hot seasoning — I just like making my own.
In an effort to make this recipe EASY crockpot beef tips, I’m using prepackaged seasonings. This makes the whole process and shopping list infinitely easier and less intimidating.
The Best Sides For Slow Cooker Beef Tips
Mashed Potatoes – Easily my favorite are garlic mashed potatoes. These two are a match made in comfort food heaven.
Rice – If we’re keeping it as easy as possible, it’s hard to beat a bag of 90 second microwaved rice.
Egg Noodles – A close runner up to the mashed potatoes for me is to simply boil some egg noodles and serve the crockpot beef tips and gravy over top of them.
Pickled Red Onions – This one is a MUST HAVE for me, regardless of the side I make. The onions are also super easy to make, and the acidity balances out the richness of the beef tips.
How To Make Easy Slow Cooker Beef Tips
Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 10 mins. | Cook Time: 4-6 hours
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2½ lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 1″ cubes
2 tsp salt, Diamond Crystal
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp steak seasoning, optional
½ stick butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 package beef stew mix
1 package brown gravy mix
2 cups water
¾ cup red wine
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
Step 1: Season the beef with salt and smoked paprika. Add the olive oil to a cast iron or stainless pan over high heat. Add the beef and sear on all sides. Remove from heat and then add optional steak seasoning. I do this after it’s removed from the heat so it doesn’t burn and stick to the pan.
Step 2: Transfer the beef to the crockpot, and return the pan to the high heat. Add the butter to the pan and when it melts, add the onion and mushrooms. Cook for five minutes, moving around consistently to caramelize the onions.
Step 3: Add the minced garlic, and move it around in the pan for about a minute. Then, add the remaining ingredients, (except the parsley) and stir till well combined. Allow the mushroom and onion gravy to come to a slow boil.
Step 4: Transfer the gravy into the crockpot and stir it in with the beef. Set the crockpot to low for six hours, or high for four hours.
Step 5: Check meat for tenderness, add fresh parsley and serve with your favorite side.
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs Chuck roast cut into 1" cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp kosher salt diamond crystal
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp steak seasoning optional
- ½ stick unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 cups mushrooms sliced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pack beef stew mix seasoning
- 1 pack brown gravy mix
- 2 cup water
- ¾ cup red wine
- 1½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Season the beef with salt and smoked paprika. Add the olive oil to a cast iron or stainless pan over high heat. Add the beef and sear on all sides. Remove from heat and then add optional steak seasoning. I do this after it's removed from the heat so it doesn't burn and stick to the pan.
- Transfer the beef to the crockpot, and return the pan to the high heat. Add the butter to the pan and when it melts, add the onion and mushrooms. Cook for five minutes, moving around consistently to caramelize the onions.
- Add the minced garlic, and move it around in the pan for about a minute. Then, add the remaining ingredients, (except the parsley) and stir till well combined. Allow the mushroom and onion gravy to come to a slow boil.
- ransfer the gravy into the crockpot and stir it in with the beef. Set the crockpot to low for six hours, or high for four hours.
- Check meat for tenderness, add fresh parsley and serve with your favorite side.
My family and I loved this recipe! Literally so easy!
Thank you Emily, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s a fav around here too!
-M