Tiffany Haney
Slow cooker beef tips are a versatile, tasty and easy-to-make meal. The beef tips are cooked in a crock pot, typically with gravy, and can be served with mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, or quinoa. The beef can be seared in a skillet before being placed in the slow cooker, and the entire process can take between 3 to 8 hours. The recipe is flexible, allowing for the addition of various ingredients like mushrooms, onions, garlic, and dairy products.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cooking time on high heat | 3-4 hours |
| Cooking time on low heat | 6-8 hours |
| Meat | Sirloin Tip Roast, Chuck Roast, Rump Roast, Stew Meat |
| Meat weight | 1-2 lbs |
| Sides | Mashed potatoes, Rice, Quinoa, Caulirice, Noodles, Sweet potatoes, Broccoli |
| Gravy thickening agent | Cornstarch, Flour, Minute tapioca |
| Additional ingredients | Mushrooms, Butter, Oil, Bay leaf, Italian seasoning, Thyme, Worcestershire sauce, Garlic, Onion |
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What You'll Learn
Cooking times and temperatures
The cooking time for beef tips in a crock pot can vary depending on the desired level of doneness and the specific model of the crock pot. Here are some general guidelines for cooking times and temperatures:
If you prefer your beef tips well-done and tender, it is recommended to cook them on high heat for around 4 hours. This will ensure that the beef is cooked through and tenderized. However, it is important to note that crock pots can vary in temperature, so it is always a good idea to check the progress of your meal after about 3 hours to prevent overcooking.
For a slower cook, you can opt for a low heat setting and leave the beef tips to cook for around 6 hours. This longer cooking time will result in extremely tender beef that will easily fall apart, creating a melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you prefer your beef tips to retain their shape, slightly reducing the cooking time will yield a similar result.
Additionally, searing the beef tips in a skillet before placing them in the crock pot can reduce the overall cooking time. By locking in the flavors and browning the surface of the meat, you can shorten the crock pot cooking time to around 3 hours on high heat.
It is worth noting that the cooking time may also depend on the type of beef used. For instance, frozen beef may require a slightly longer cooking duration to ensure it is thoroughly cooked. Furthermore, the addition of certain ingredients, such as dairy, is recommended only during the final 20 to 30 minutes of cooking to prevent curdling.
Lastly, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on your crock pot creation. Checking in on the beef tips periodically will help you gauge the desired level of doneness and make any necessary adjustments to the cooking time or temperature.
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Searing the beef
Firstly, gather your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need beef tips, which can be cut from a variety of roasts, such as sirloin tip roast, chuck roast, rump roast, or even just stew meat. You will also need butter or oil for searing the meat.
Once you have your ingredients, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough butter or oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. You want the skillet to be nice and hot before adding the meat. This will help create a good sear.
Next, place the beef tips in the skillet. Be sure to not overcrowd the pan, as this will cause the meat to steam instead of sear. You may need to sear the beef in batches depending on the size of your skillet. Leave the beef tips undisturbed for a couple of minutes to allow them to develop a nice brown crust.
After a couple of minutes, stir the beef tips and continue cooking until they are browned on multiple sides. You are not looking to cook the meat through at this stage, just searing the exterior. Once they are nicely browned, remove the beef tips from the skillet and set them aside.
If you are searing in batches, repeat the process with the remaining beef tips. Add more butter or oil to the skillet as needed to prevent the meat from sticking.
Once all the beef tips are seared, they can be added to the crockpot to continue with the recipe. Searing the beef tips first will add a depth of flavour to your dish and help create a delicious, hearty meal.
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Making the gravy
There are several ways to make gravy for your beef tips. One way is to use the juices from the crockpot. To do this, combine 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour in a pan over medium heat. Stir the mixture until the flour is combined with the butter and it starts to thicken. Cook the mixture for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Then, pour in about 1 1/2 cups of juice from the crockpot into the pan and stir until it thickens into gravy.
You can also make gravy by combining cornstarch and water and adding the slurry to the slow cooker, stirring it into the sauce. Let the mixture cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to thicken into a gravy.
If you prefer a mushroom gravy, you can add a mushroom gravy packet to your crockpot along with beef broth and other ingredients. You can also add mushrooms to your crockpot in the last hour of cooking to create a thicker gravy.
For a gluten-free option, you can use cornstarch instead of flour to thicken the gravy. Cornstarch dissolves easily in water, so be sure to dissolve the cornstarch in water before adding it to the crockpot to ensure a smooth gravy.
You can also make a simple gravy by adding beef broth, onion soup mix, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce to a skillet and letting it simmer. Scrape any bits from the bottom of the skillet and pour the mixture over the meat in the slow cooker.
Finally, you can use pre-made gravy by adding a packet of gravy mix to your crockpot along with the other ingredients.
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Dairy and other ingredients
Dairy products such as butter, cream cheese, and sour cream can be added to crockpot beef tips recipes, but it is important to note that dairy should only be added towards the end of the cooking process. This is because prolonged heat can cause dairy to curdle. For example, one source recommends adding butter to the crockpot beef tips recipe only in the last few minutes of cooking to prevent the meat from overcooking.
Butter is often used in crockpot beef tips recipes to make gravy. To make beef gravy, combine 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour in a pan over medium heat. Stir the mixture until the flour is combined with the butter and it starts to thicken. Then, pour in about 1 1/2 cups of juice from the crockpot into the pan and stir until it thickens into gravy.
Cream cheese and sour cream can be served as toppings for crockpot beef tips. For example, one source mentions serving crockpot beef tips with sour cream mashed potatoes. Another source recommends serving the beef tips with mashed potatoes and a side of steamed broccoli, which can be topped with sour cream or cream cheese.
In addition to dairy, there are several other ingredients that can be added to crockpot beef tips recipes. One popular ingredient is mushrooms. It is important to note that mushrooms cook quickly, so they should only be added during the last hour of cooking to prevent them from becoming overcooked and mushy. Onions are also a common ingredient in crockpot beef tips recipes, and they can be added at the beginning of the cooking process. Other possible ingredients include garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and bay leaves.
Some recipes also call for the addition of soup mixes, such as cream of mushroom soup or onion soup mix. These soup mixes can be added directly to the crockpot along with the other ingredients and cooked for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
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Storing and reheating
Leftover beef tips can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. When reheating, if the gravy thickens too much, add a splash of beef broth or water to thin it out. This will also help prevent the beef from drying out. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave.
If you are storing the beef tips before cooking, one source recommends searing the meat and preparing the gravy before combining the two and storing in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
It is worth noting that slow cooker times are always approximate and vary with each model. If you cook it too long, the beef will begin to fall apart.
Beef tips go well with rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, and vegetables.
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Frequently asked questions
You can cook beef tips in a crock pot on a high heat setting for 3 to 4 hours or on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.
First, cut up your beef into cubes. Sear the beef cubes in a skillet over medium-high heat with butter or oil until browned. Then, add the beef to the crock pot with the other ingredients and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
You can add a variety of ingredients to beef tips in a crock pot, including:
- Beef broth
- Worcestershire sauce
- Italian seasoning
- Thyme
- Bay leaf
- Onion
- Garlic
- Mushrooms
- Cornstarch
- Flour
- Butter
