Craving a hearty and flavorful meal but short on time? Look no further than Beef Tips with Mushroom Gravy! This dish is perfect for busy weeknights, offering melt-in-your-mouth beef tips smothered in a rich and savory mushroom gravy. The beauty lies in its versatility - prepare it in a slow cooker for a hands-off approach, or utilize the pressure cooker function of your Instant Pot for a quicker fix.
Two Cooking Methods, One Delicious Result:
This recipe offers both slow cooker and Instant Pot instructions, allowing you to choose the method that best suits your needs.
Slow Cooker: Perfect for setting it and forgetting it, the slow cooker allows the flavors to develop beautifully over several hours, resulting in incredibly tender beef tips.
Instant Pot: This method offers a time-saving alternative, cooking the dish to perfection in under an hour.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds chuck roast or stew meat, cubed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ teaspoons each of garlic powder and sugar
- 1 teaspoon each of onion powder, dried thyme, and mushroom powder
- ½ cup pepperoncini peppers, thinly sliced
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with water
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Both cooking methods follow a similar approach:
1. Brown the meat (optional, but adds depth of flavor).
2. Combine all ingredients (except cornstarch slurry) in your chosen cooking appliance.
3. Cook for the allotted time based on your chosen method (slow cooker or Instant Pot).
4. Thicken the gravy with a cornstarch slurry towards the end of cooking.
5. Season to taste and serve over your favorite side dish.
Tips and Variations:
- For a thicker gravy, use slightly less beef stock or add more cornstarch slurry.
- Play around with the vegetables! Substitute sliced portobello mushrooms, carrots, or peas for the pepperoncini.
- Want to make it low-carb? Serve over cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower instead of traditional starches.
With its ease of preparation and versatility, Beef Tips with Mushroom Gravy is sure to become a weeknight favorite. So fire up your slow cooker or Instant Pot, and get ready to enjoy a delicious and comforting meal!