Slow cooked beef tips and gravy served with mashed potatoes and savory brown sauce

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Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy

Tender chunks of chuck roast slow cooked in a rich homemade brown gravy. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.

Prep Time15

Cook Time7 20

Total Time7 35

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Servings:

Calories: 391kcal

Author: Davinah

Equipment

Crockpot
Skillet

Ingredients

Beef

3 lb beef chuck roast cut into 1½-inch cubes
1½ tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
3 tbsp Avocado Oil or Olive Oil

Braising Liquid

1 large Yellow Onion halved and sliced
6 cloves Garlic minced
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
2 cups Beef Broth
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp thyme leaves fresh (or ½ tsp thyme, dried)
2 bay leaves

Gravy

3 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp water cold
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley chopped, for serving

For Serving

Mashed potatoes egg noodles, or rice

Instructions

Prepare the beef: Trim any large, hard pieces of fat from the chuck roast, then cut the beef into 1½-inch cubes.
Season the beef: Pat the beef completely dry with paper towels. Toss with the sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
Sear the beef: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Sear the beef in 3 batches, leaving space between the pieces. Cook for 2–3 minutes per batch without stirring, until deeply browned on at least 2 sides. Transfer each batch to the slow cooker.
Cook the onion: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the onion. Cook for 4–5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits as the onion releases moisture.
Add the aromatics: Add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
Deglaze the skillet: Pour in the beef broth and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release the remaining browned bits. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then pour it over the beef in the slow cooker.
Add the rest of the seasonings: Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard. Add the thyme and bay leaves.
Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours.
Check the beef: The beef is ready when a piece falls apart under light pressure from a fork. If it still feels firm, springy, or chewy, continue cooking and check again after about 45 minutes.
Make the slurry: Remove the bay leaves. Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl until completely smooth.
Thicken the gravy: Stir the slurry into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20–30 minutes, or until the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Serve: Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice and top with chopped parsley.

Notes

If the beef is tough: Chuck roast usually needs more time when it is chewy or firm. Continue cooking until the pieces are fork-tender.
Keep the pieces large: Cut the chuck into about 1½-inch cubes so the beef stays in distinct, tender pieces instead of shredding during the long cook.
Use cold water for the slurry: Whisk the cornstarch into cold water until smooth before adding it to the hot gravy to prevent lumps.
LOW or HIGH works: Both settings were tested. The beef can be tender by the 4-hour mark on HIGH, but some pieces may need closer to 5 hours. Cook until the beef is fork-tender rather than relying only on the clock.

Nutrition