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A white ceramic dish filled with fork-tender beef tips smothered in a rich mahogany mushroom and onion gravy, garnished with fresh green parsley

Beef Tips Crock Pot Recipe (Slow-Braised with Rich Gravy)

Fork-tender beef tips slow-braised in a deeply flavored mushroom and onion gravy that develops complexity over 8 hours of gentle cooking. The secret is properly searing the beef before it goes into the crock pot, creating a fond that becomes the foundation for an extraordinarily rich sauce.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 504
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Beef
  • 2.5 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
For the Aromatics
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
For the Braising Liquid
  • 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine or additional beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 whole bay leaves
For the Gravy
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons cold water
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 6-quart slow cooker
  • 12-inch cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet
  • Tongs
  • Meat thermometer
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Whisk

Method
 

Prepare and Sear the Beef
  1. Pat the beef cubes thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season generously with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides. Allow the beef to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat until the oil shimmers and just begins to smoke. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef cubes for 2-3 minutes per side until deeply browned on at least two sides. Transfer each batch to the slow cooker insert.
Build the Aromatic Base
  1. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and beginning to brown. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes until they release their moisture and begin to caramelize.
  2. Push the vegetables to the edges of the pan and add the tomato paste to the center. Cook the tomato paste for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly and becomes fragrant. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic.
Deglaze and Assemble
  1. Pour in the red wine, scraping up all the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by half, approximately 2 minutes. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, dried thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer.
  2. Pour the hot liquid and aromatics over the beef in the slow cooker. The liquid should come about two-thirds up the sides of the beef. Cover with the lid.
Slow Cook
  1. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours. The beef tips are ready when they are fork-tender and easily pull apart with gentle pressure. The internal temperature should read at least 195°F for proper collagen breakdown.
Finish the Gravy
  1. Remove the bay leaves and discard. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker.
  2. Turn the slow cooker to HIGH and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the cold butter until melted and incorporated.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice.

Notes

For the most tender results, choose well-marbled chuck roast and cut against the grain into uniform pieces. The marbling breaks down during the long cooking time, keeping the beef moist.
Do not skip the searing step. The Maillard reaction creates hundreds of flavor compounds that form the foundation of your gravy's complexity.
If your gravy is too thick after cooking, thin it with a splash of beef broth. If too thin, let it cook uncovered on HIGH for an additional 10-15 minutes.
The butter stirred in at the end (called mounting) creates a glossy, restaurant-quality finish and rounds out the acidity from the wine and tomato paste.