Cook up this Beef Tips and Gravy recipe for dinner tonight! It features tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef tips that are smothered in a rich and savory gravy with complex flavors.
Serve beef tips and gravy on a bed of mashed potatoes or with egg noodles for a classic American dinner. It’s the ultimate comfort food and cozy dinner, especially on a cold day.
Beef Tips And Gravy
There’s something about tender beef tips covered in a rich flavorful gravy that is both comforting, heart-warming, and evokes nostalgia for old fashion American dinners.
Making beef tips and gravy look very similar to making beef stew, pot roast, or braised short ribs. We are taking a relatively tough cut of meat and cooking it low and slow (either in the oven or the stove top). The idea is to slowly break down the fibers of the meat until they become soft and tender.
In beef tips and gravy, beef chuck (or stew beef or round steak) are cut into small bite size cubes and coated with a thick brown gravy with rich and complex flavors from red wine, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, beef bouillon, onions and garlic.
I’ll admit that I wasn’t a fan of beef tips and gravy because all the gravy I’ve had are bland and the flavors are very one dimensional.
I worked hard to make this beef tips and gravy recipe one that is truly flavorful, and I finally settled on a few ‘secret ingredients’ that really adds complexity to the flavor of the sauce:
- Red wine
- Worcestershire sauce
- Beef Bouillon – I typically use Better Than Bouillon – Beef Base
I’ve tried omitting one of the three ingredients and the gravy just does not taste as flavorful. So trust me when I say, for the best beef tips and gravy, use all three!
While you can use many different cuts of beef for beef tips – everything from the humble chuck roast (that’s what we are doing in this recipe) or the more expensive sirloin, I highly recommend not spending money on an expensive cut of meat and just use chuck roast.
This is because we will be slow cooking the beef until they become soft and melt in your mouth tender, regardless of how nice of a cut of a beef you get.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make Beef Tips and Gravy:
- beef chuck roast – this is one of your more economical cuts but it will still yield some seriously tender Beef Tips and gravy! Other cuts you can use are sirloin, round etc. However, there’s really no need to spend money on an expensive cut of beef because they will be cooked until they are tender.
- salt and pepper – used as simple seasoning for the beef cubes
- garlic – fresh minced garlic works best for maximum flavor. Avoid using garlic powder as the flavors are just not the same.
- onion – diced into small pieces. You can use a yellow onion or a white onion.
- butter – I typically use unsalted butter but you can use salted butter if that’s what you have on hand.
- all-purpose flour – used to thicken the gravy.
- red wine – go with a red wine that good enough to drinks and relatively dry. You really don’t need to blow the budget here, a simple pinot noir, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot will make your beef tips and gravy recipe taste luxurious.
- beef bouillon – for an added punch of beefy flavor! I like to use Better Than Bouillon – Beef Base.
- beef broth – Use a good quality broth for best flavor.
- bay leaves – this herb helps bring a nice earthy flavor to your recipe for beef tips and gravy
- Worcestershire sauce – don’t skip this! This fermented savory sauce gives a subtle tangy, umami twist to the gravy.
- cooking oil
How To Make Beef Tips and Gravy
Like so many great things, we have to remember that good things can come with a little patience.
This Beef Tips and Gravy takes at least two hours on the stove top as the flavors come together and cook the beef until juicy and perfectly tender. Don’t try to rush the process!
1. Brown the seasoned beef
To kick off our beef tips and gravy, heat a Dutch oven or large heavy bottom pot over medium heat. . Drizzle it with a high smoke point oil, such as vegetable or canola oil.
Season cubed chuck roast with salt and pepper, and toss in the hot oil. Sear the beef on both sides, just until it’s browned, not cook through.
Remove beef from heat. Set aside.
2. Saute Onions and Garlic
In the same Dutch oven, combine onions and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
Add butter and let it melt completely. Follow by adding flour, mix to fully incorporate.
3. Build the Sauce
Deglaze the Dutch oven with wine, then add beef tips back in, and pour in the beef broth.
Allow the liquid to come to a boil before adding beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves.
Bring it back to a boil.
Lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 1.5 – 2 hours, or until beef is tender.
I highly recommend a Dutch oven, it’s soup base keeps heat circulating throughout for even cooking.
Every 30 minutes or so, tir your Beef Tips and Gravy occasionally to prevent the bottom of the pot from burning.
Once the beef is fork tender, remove from heat. At this point, gravy should be a thick and cling onto beef.
Taste and adjust seasonings and if needed, add a pinch of salt to taste.
Serve immediately! Beef tips with gravy pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
I also love building this classic American dinner plate and round it up with some of my favorite veggie dishes, such as Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Roasted Whole Carrots, or Caramelized Onions Sauteed Green Beans.
Bon Appetit!
Beef tips and a truly tasty rich and flavorful gravy. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Variation and Substitution
- Beef Options: You can use cuts of beef such as chuck roast, stew meat, round, sirloin.
- Gravy: Beef broth is the classic choice, but chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even mushroom broth will work if that’s what you have.
- Vegetable: Toss in mushrooms, carrots, peas, or pearl onions for more flavor and texture.
- Serving: You can also swap the mashed potatoes or egg noodle with rice, mashed cauliflower, or even buttered bread to soak up the gravy.
- Dairy-free option: Replace butter with olive oil or a plant-based alternative, and the dish will still come out hearty and delicious.
Storage and Reheating
Store beef tips and gravy in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can be frozen as well.
When ready to eat, bring it to a full defrost by setting it in the refrigerator 24 hours prior if it was frozen. To reheat, drizzle with a few teaspoons of water and reheat in microwave or on the stovetop.
Tips and Tricks
- Choosing the Right Cut: Opt for an inexpensive cut like chuck roast, although round or sirloin can be used as well. All these cuts will become tender and flavorful when cooked slowly.
- Brown the Meat: Don’t skip browning the meat on all sides. This step caramelizes the natural sugars in the beef while sealing in the juices and flavors.
- Deglaze Pot: After pouring the wine into the pot, deglaze the pot by stirring to remove brown bits on the pot so it’s incorporated into the sauce. The brown bits bring amazing flavors to the sauce so you want that in there!
- Use a Good Broth: High-quality beef broth or stock will contribute more flavor to the final dish. Avoid water, as it can lead to a bland gravy.
- Cook Low and Slow: Whether on the stove or in a slow cooker, cooking beef tips slowly allows the connective tissue in the meat to break down, ensuring a tender bite. Don’t rush this step!
- Taste and Adjust: Gravy needs to be well-balanced. Always taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beef tips are typically small, tender chunks of meat cut from well-marbled parts of beef like the tenderloin, sirloin, or chuck roast. They are often used in dishes such as stews, casseroles, or served with gravy. Beef tips are known for their rich flavor and tender texture, especially when cooked slowly using methods like braising or stewing.
Use a rich, high-quality broth to add flavor to your gravy. You can also add more beef bouillon to intensify the flavors of the gravy.
Set the slow cooker to low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Over time, the meat will become tender and flavorful, absorbing the ingredients or spices.
Yes, you can freeze beef tips and gravy.
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More Cozy Dinners I Love!
- Chicken and Dumplings
- Creamy Tomato Gnocchi
- Cheesy Mexican Chicken and Rice
- Red Curry Dumpling Soup
- Penne Alla Vodka with Chicken
Beef Tips and Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5-3 lb beef chuck roast cubed
- 2 tsp salt plus more if needed
- 1 tsp pepper
- ½ onion diced
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup butter
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup red wine
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp beef bouillon
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- cooking oil
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.
- While pot is heating up, season cubed chuck roast with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Once the pot is ready, drizzle with cooking oil and sear the beef on each side just until browned. Remove beef from heat. Set aside.
- Using the same pot, saute the onions and garlic.
- Add the butter and let fully melt. Add the flour and mix to fully incorporate.
- Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot. Stir to remove all the brown bits on the pot so it's incorporated into the sauce.
- Bring cooked beef back into the pot. Add beef broth. Bring to a boil.
- Add beef bouillon, worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Bring back to a boil.
- Lower to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2 hours or until beef is tender. Stir occasionally (every 30 minutes if possible) to keep beef from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the beef is tender, taste gravy and add more salt as needed.
- Serve and enjoy!
Made this dish recently and it was delicious. I served the tips and gravy over garlic potatoes and then the leftovers over toast, so flavorful. I Will make this again!
Yum! I’m salivating over the sound of garlic potatoes! Happy this was a success for you, Tammy!