Learn how easy it is to make Beef Tips and Gravy from scratch on the Stove Top or in the Crock Pot. These Sirloin tips are smothered in the most flavorful brown gravy and served with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or with rice.

Be sure to try my Chicken Pot Pie and Slow Cooker Beef Stew recipe next!

Tender Beef Tips and Gravy on a plate with Mashed Potatoes and fresh parsley.

Beef Tips and Gravy

Welcome to one of my family’s favorite meals! We can’t resist this recipe with a side of creamy mashed potatoes and roasted carrots. I love assembling it the night before and cooking it in the Crock Pot during the day, or serving it as a quick skillet recipe!

You won’t believe how flavorful this gravy recipe is either. (I think I’ve definitely got easy gravy recipes down pat.)

There are plenty of seasonings in this recipe, but they really add the best flavor to the meat and gravy, mix them together ahead of time and cooking will be a snap.

Let’s get into everything you need to know to NAIL it!

What Cut of Meat is Beef Tips

Beef “tips” are smaller cuts of meat that are leftover from breaking down any of the larger, more tender sections.

For example, a Top Sirloin is a large, tender cut of meat. A Sirloin Tip is an outer ‘scrap’ from that particular section. It’s not quite as tender as the whole top sirloin, but works well for cutting into cubes to make beef tips or stews.

Sirloin or Tenderloin cuts are best for making beef tips on the stove top as they don’t require as much low and slow cooking to render down and tenderize.

  • Tender Cuts of Meat: Sirloin, Flank, Ribeye, Tenderloin.
  • Tougher Cuts of Meat:  Chuck Roast, Rump Roast, Brisket. (Best suited for slow cooking.)
  • This guide from Fix.com provides a good visual as to the location of these cuts of meats, why they have varying degrees of toughness, and approximate cost per pound.

Are Beef Tips and Stew Meat the Same

Beef tips and stew meat are generally not the same, but labels can make it vague and hard to distinguish. I recommend purchasing meat that is directly labeled as containing sirloin or tenderloin if preparing this recipe on the stove top.

  • Stew meat usually contains a tougher cut of meat (such as a chuck or rump roast)  which is best suited for making Slow Cooker Beef Stew.
  • Beef Tips should be prepared with a more tender cut of meat such as sirloin or tenderloin, unless they’re being prepared in the Slow Cooker.

How to Make it

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Toss cubed beef in seasoning mixture, sprinkle with flour. Sear in olive oil for 30-45 seconds/side. Remove and set aside.

Deglaze with red wine, (optional). Sauté butter, onions, and garlic until softened.

Seared beef tips next to a pot with softened onions and garlic.

Add beef broth, beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Bring to a boil and whisk in cornstarch + cold water. Reduce heat.

Adding beef broth and seasonings to softened wine and onions to make beef tips and gravy.

Add beef + juices back to the pot. Cook, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, buttermilk biscuits, and roasted carrots.

Adding beef tips to a skillet full of brown gravy of steak tips and gravy.

Crock Pot Method

  • Season/sear the beef tips and prepare the gravy as outlined in steps 1-8, then transfer it to the crock pot along with the beef tips.
  • Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
  • Combine the cornstarch and cold water until uniform in consistency and slowly stir it into the gravy over high heat. Remove from heat and serve.

How to Make Brown Gravy More Flavorful

  • Worcestershire Sauce: This is my top choice. You can’t taste it at all but it enhances the other flavors of the gravy and adds a rich element to it. We’ll use just 1.5 teaspoons in this recipe.
  • Soy Sauce: (An alternative option to Worcestershire sauce.) Soy Sauce is a great way to add ‘umami’, which is basically a savory characteristic that makes gravy so irresistible. Like the above choice, you can’t taste it when it’s added in the right quantity. I recommend using low sodium.
  • Use a Combination of Chicken and Beef Broth : This adds a nice depth of flavor, especially because chicken broth has slightly more flavor and substance to it than beef broth does. To maintain a dark brown color, read my next tip.
  • Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning Sauce: I like to add a few drops of this in combination with the ingredients noted above to add just a hint of a darker brown color. You can find it in the aisle where they sell gravy packets.

Make-Ahead Method

  • Sear the meat and prepare the gravy as outlined. Let the gravy cool completely, then combine with the seared meat + juices from the meat.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
  • Finish cooking on Stove Top or in the Crock Pot as outlined.

Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Pro Tips

  • Onions are optional, but add nice flavor. Use as much or as little as you’d like.
  • Mushrooms can be added when the onions are added.
  • Wine is optional. Dry varieties such as Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon are best in this dish. Broth may be used instead of wine as well. 
  • A hint of cream (about 1/8 cup), can be added at the end if desired.
  • Measure the seasoning mix for the beef and the gravy ahead of time! (There are quite a few, but you can’t beat the flavor!)
  • This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 72!

What to Serve with Beef Tips and Gravy

A wooden spoon scooping up Beef tips in gravy in a skillet topped with fresh parsley.

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)– Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

  • Kitchen Tongs– Makes it easy to handle the meat during searing.
  • Kitchen Scale– Perfect for weighing the meat if needed.
  • Deep 13-inch skillet– You’ll have this one forever.
  • Crock Pot– This is the one I have, you can sear meat right on the stove top with it, and it automatically switches to warm when the cooking time is up.

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Beef Tips and Gravy on a plate with creamy mashed potatoes.

Beef Tips and Gravy

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
4.95 from 192 ratings
Servings: 4 people
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Learn how to make Beef Tips and Gravy from scratch in one pot on the stove top or in the Slow Cooker! This classic comfort food is great with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs. sirloin tips
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

Beef Seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon EACH: salt, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika

Gravy

  • ¼ cup dry red wine, optional
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 beef bouillon cube
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoons corn starch + 1/4 cup cold water

Instructions

  • Combine beef seasoning mix and measure out gravy ingredients before beginning.
  • Cut meat into 1-inch cubes, discard any large pieces of fat.
  • Combine beef seasoning and sprinkle it over the meat. Toss to coat. Sprinkle flour over the meat and toss again.
  • Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat in batches, don’t overcrowd the pan. Brown on each side for 30-45 seconds. Add a splash of more oil if needed. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining beef. *Don't cook the beef all the way through. You want it to cook in the gravy to add more flavor.
  • Add ¼ cup wine and use a silicone spatula to “clean” (deglaze) the bottom of the pan, removing any brown remnants. The brown specks are called “fond” and will give the sauce lots of good flavor.
  • Let the wine gently bubble and reduce by half. Reduce heat to medium and add the butter and the onions. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add all remaining gravy ingredients except the cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil.
  • Combine the corn starch and cold water. Whisk into the sauce, a little at a time. Stir continuously. Continue until your desired consistency is obtained.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and add the beef along with the juices from the plate. Cook with the lid partially covered for 10-15 minutes, until beef is cooked through. Remove from heat.
  • Optional: Swirl in 1 Tablespoon of COLD butter at the end, this is called “Monter au Beurre” and it adds a smooth, velvety finish to sauces and gravies.
  • Serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or over rice!

Notes

Crock Pot Method:
  • Season/sear the beef tips and prepare the gravy as outlined in steps 1-8, then transfer it to the crock pot along with the beef tips.
  • Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
  • Combine the cornstarch and cold water until uniform in consistency and slowly stir it into the gravy over high heat. Remove from heat and serve.
Pro Tips:
  • Red Wine is optional, dry varieties such as Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon are best in this dish.
  • Sirloin or Tenderloin tips are best for this recipe. For more tender results, purchase a whole Top Sirloin or Beef Tenderloin and cut it into cubes.
  • Avoid using Chuck or Rump roasts unless cooking in the Slow Cooker.
  • This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 72!
Nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 126mg, Sodium: 931mg, Potassium: 822mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 460IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 5mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Stephanie