Description
A comforting slow-cooked beef dish featuring tender sirloin tips simmered in a rich mushroom gravy with a blend of herbs and spices. Perfect for serving over creamy mashed potatoes, this recipe combines hearty beef, flavorful mushrooms, and a luscious homemade gravy.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Gravy
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 pounds sirloin beef tips (or your favorite cut of beef steak, cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 yellow onion (diced)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 8 ounces baby Bella mushrooms (cut into thick slices)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup pepperoncini peppers (thinly sliced)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare the beef: Heat butter in a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef pieces with flour, salt, and pepper; toss to coat evenly.
- Sear the beef: Once the butter has melted and is hot, add half of the coated beef pieces to the skillet. Cook until the outside forms a crust but the beef is not fully cooked through. Remove seared beef to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef pieces. Add the diced onions to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Transfer to slow cooker: Place the seared beef and cooked onions into the bottom of a greased 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in beef broth, add mushrooms, garlic powder, sugar, onion powder, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and pepperoncini peppers. Stir to combine and cover with the lid.
- Slow cook: Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 5 to 7 hours, allowing the beef to become tender and the flavors to meld together.
- Thicken the gravy: Approximately 20 minutes before the cooking time ends, carefully remove ½ cup of liquid from the slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk in the cornstarch until smooth. Stir this mixture back into the slow cooker gently, cover again, and continue cooking for the remaining time.
- Adjust consistency and serve: Check the gravy consistency. If too thick, add a few tablespoons of water to thin it. If too thin, mix additional cornstarch with water and add gradually to thicken. Serve the beef and mushroom gravy hot over mashed potatoes. Enjoy your hearty meal!
Notes
- Use a heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron for best searing results.
- Searing the beef in batches prevents overcrowding, which helps develop a better crust.
- Adjust the cooking time based on your slow cooker’s heat settings and beef tenderness preference.
- For a milder dish, reduce or omit the pepperoncini peppers.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
