Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy

These slow cooker beef tips and gravy have tender chunks of chuck roast in a rich homemade brown gravy. It’s made from scratch with simple ingredients, with no gravy packets or canned soup needed.

I make these slow cooked beef tips and gravy when I want a hearty dinner that can cook mostly unattended. Serve them over Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes, or try my Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles and Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy for other easy slow cooker dinners.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The beef gets really tender: I use chuck roast and cut it into 1½-inch pieces so it gets tender without completely shredding apart.
• The gravy gets plenty of flavor from the skillet: I brown the beef first, then cook the onions, garlic, and tomato paste in the same pan before adding the broth. All of those browned bits become part of the homemade gravy.
• LOW or HIGH both work: You can let the beef cook for 6 to 7 hours on LOW or use HIGH when you need dinner sooner. The 1½-inch pieces of chuck can get tender in about 4 to 5 hours on HIGH.

Ingredients Needed

The exact amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Here are the ingredients I pay the most attention to when I make this.

• Beef chuck roast: I prefer buying a whole chuck roast and cutting it myself instead of using packaged stew meat. That way, the pieces are all from the same cut and I can keep them about the same size. Look for a roast with good marbling.
• Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika: I season the beef before it goes into the skillet so the meat has plenty of flavor on its own.
• Neutral oil: Use an oil that can handle the higher heat needed to brown the beef.
• Yellow onion and garlic: I cook these in the same skillet after the beef so they pick up all of the flavor left behind in the pan.
• Tomato paste: Let it cook briefly before adding the broth. This deepens the gravy without making it taste tomato-heavy.
• Beef broth: I use 2 cups for 3 pounds of beef. It may not look like a lot at first, but the beef and onions release more liquid as they cook. Starting with less keeps the finished gravy rich instead of leaving you with a pot of thin broth.
• Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard: These add more savory flavor to the gravy without making it taste strongly like either ingredient.
• Thyme and bay leaves: They add flavor as the beef cooks. You can use fresh or dried thyme.
• Cornstarch and cold water: I mix these together at the end to turn the cooking liquid into a smooth, glossy gravy.
• Fresh parsley: This is optional, but I like adding a little before serving.

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy

The full instructions and cooking times are in the recipe card below. Use these photo steps to see what the beef and gravy should look like along the way.

Season the Beef

Trim off any large, hard pieces of fat, then cut the chuck into roughly even 1½-inch pieces. Pat the beef dry before seasoning so it browns well instead of steaming.

Sear Until Deeply Browned

Brown the beef in batches with space between the pieces. Let it sit long enough to get a deep brown crust on a couple of sides, then transfer it to the slow cooker.

Build the Gravy Base

Cook the onion in the same skillet, then add the garlic and tomato paste. Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan before adding everything to the slow cooker.

Slow Cook Until Fork-Tender

Cook until a piece of beef gives easily when pressed with a fork. If it still feels firm, springy, or chewy, let it cook longer.

Thicken the Gravy

Once the beef is tender, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook on HIGH until the gravy is smooth, glossy, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Tips for the Best Beef Tips and Gravy

• Keep the beef pieces around 1½ inches: Smaller pieces are more likely to fall apart during the long cook. This size gives you tender beef that still looks like beef tips when you serve it.
• Dry the beef before seasoning and browning: Extra moisture makes it harder to get a good sear.
• Don’t crowd the skillet: Browning in batches takes a few extra minutes, but the beef gets much better color and flavor.
• Don’t add extra broth: The recipe starts with enough liquid to cook the beef and make plenty of gravy. More liquid can leave you with a thinner sauce at the end.
• Give chewy beef more time: If the beef is still firm or chewy, keep cooking it. The fork test is more useful than watching the clock.
• Wait until the beef is tender to thicken the gravy: I get the meat exactly where I want it first, then finish the gravy at the end.
• Mix the cornstarch with cold water: Whisk it smooth before adding it to the hot liquid so the gravy doesn’t get lumpy.

Swaps & Variations

I wouldn’t change the amount of beef, broth, or cornstarch because those amounts give you enough gravy without making the dish soupy.

• Fresh or dried thyme: Either works, so use whichever you already have.
• Change what you serve it over: Mashed potatoes are my favorite, but egg noodles and rice are both good with the gravy.
• Make a lower-carb plate: Keep the beef tips and gravy as written and serve them over my Mashed Cauliflower or Cauliflower Rice Pilaf.
• Stick with chuck roast: I prefer chuck here instead of a leaner cut because it stays juicy and gets tender during the long cook.

What to Serve With Beef Tips and Gravy

Since there’s plenty of gravy, I usually start with something underneath the beef that can soak it up.

My Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Potatoes with Cheese are my favorite options. You can also serve the beef over Garlic Butter Rice.

For vegetables, I like something simple on the side. Try my Sautéed Green Beans, Air Fryer Broccoli, or Sautéed Asparagus.

If you want something for scooping up the extra gravy, add my Hawaiian Dinner Rolls or Homemade Cornbread on the side.

FAQs

Storage & Reheating

• Store: Keep leftover beef tips and gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze: Let everything cool, then freeze the beef and gravy together for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat: Warm the leftovers gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. The gravy gets thicker as it chills, so add a small splash of beef broth if you need to loosen it.