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slow-cooked beef tips with mushroom sauce served over a bowl of white rice.
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Slow Cooker Beef Tips

Tender beef tips cook low and slow to perfection in a homemade smoky BBQ sauce. Spoon over white rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles for a comforting dinner.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 hours
Total Time5 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Skill Level: Intermediate
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Rena Awada

Ingredients

For the Beef Tips

  • 2½ pounds boneless beef chuck roast cut into 1½-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil optional, for searing
  • 1 large sweet onion thinly sliced
  • 12 ounces cremini mushrooms thickly sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme or 3 fresh thyme sprigs

For the Smoky BBQ Gravy

  • 1¼ cups low-sodium beef broth
  • ½ cup smoky BBQ sauce preferably not overly sweet
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons cold water

For Serving

  • Chopped fresh parsley
  • Mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles for serving, optional

Instructions

  • Pat the 2½ pounds boneless beef chuck roast dry with paper towels. Season with ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In two batches, sear the beef for 1-2 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
    Beef tips in a slow cooker.
  • Add 1 large sweet onion, 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, 5 garlic cloves, and ½ teaspoon dried thyme over the beef.
    Mushrooms in a slow cooker.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together 1¼ cups low-sodium beef broth, ½ cup smoky BBQ sauce,1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Pour evenly over the beef and vegetables. Stir gently to combine.
    Pouring sauce into a slow cooker with mushrooms.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours (recommended) or HIGH for 4-5 hours, until a fork slides into the meat easily and the pieces can be gently pulled apart. If the beef still feels firm or chewy, continue cooking for another 30-60 minutes and check again.
  • Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Stir the slurry into the hot liquid in the slow cooker.
    Pouring a slurry into slow cooker with beef tips.
  • Cover and cook on HIGH for 20-25 minutes, until the gravy thickens and coats the beef.
    Beef tips in a slow cooker.
  • Sprinkle with Chopped fresh parsley and serve over Mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles.
    Slow cooker beef tips served over white rice.

Notes

  • Don’t fully cook the beef when searing: I sear the beef to develop a deeper, more savory flavor. So the beef doesn't need to be cooked through before slow cooking.
  • Finish the sauce on the stove if needed: If the slow cooker isn't hot enough to thicken the sauce properly, use the stove. Transfer the liquid to a saucepan and simmer for 2-3 minutes with the slurry, then return it to the beef.

Nutrition

Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 649mg | Potassium: 1148mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 168IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 5mg