Beef tips and gravy is old-fashioned comfort food at its best. Tender beef is simmered until fork-tender in a flavorful braising liquid, then the cooking liquid is thickened with flour into a rich brown gravy. It's an easy one-pan dinner that's perfect over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
🤔 What is the Best Meat for Beef Tips and Gravy?
- Chuck roast is my favorite because it becomes fork tender after braising.
- Sirloin cooks a little faster and stays leaner but isn't quite as rich.
- Stew meat is a convenient option and usually works well, but it may be tougher if cut from round or other lean cuts.
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Featured Comment by Keven:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Thanks, Dr. Dan, for another excellent recipe like the beef tips and gravy."
😊 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
What: Old-fashioned beef tips and gravy made with tender braised beef and rich brown gravy.
Why: A classic comfort food that's easy to make in one pan with chuck roast, sirloin, or stew meat.
How: Brown the beef, simmer until fork tender, then thicken the flavorful cooking liquid into rich brown gravy and serve over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.
🐄 Ingredients
- Beef— Chuck roast is my favorite because it becomes fork tender while braising. Sirloin is a leaner option that cooks a little faster. Prepared stew meat also works but may vary in tenderness depending on the cuts included.
- Onion— Yellow or white onion adds flavor and sweetness to the gravy.
- Beef broth— Forms the base of the rich brown gravy.
- Worcestershire sauce— Adds deep savory umami flavor that makes the beef taste even beefier without standing out on its own.
- Pantry ingredients— Garlic powder, black pepper, flour, and oil round out the gravy and thicken it to the perfect consistency.
- Serving suggestions— Serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice to soak up every bit of the gravy.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Cooking Beef Tips and Gravy
Trim the chuck roast into bite-sized, 1-inch cubes.
Brown the beef and chopped onion over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned, about 10 minutes.
Add all the other ingredients except the flour to the pan. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours.
Bring back to a boil and slowly whisk in the flour slurry until the brown gravy thickens.
Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
⏲️ How Long to Cook Beef Tips and Gravy?
The beef is done when it is fork-tender. Cook longer if needed.
- Slow cooker: Cook on Low for 6–8 hours or High for 3–4 hours.
- Stovetop: Simmer for about 90 minutes.
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💡 Tips and Variations
- Optional: Dust the beef lightly with flour before browning for deeper browning.
- Adjust the garlic to your taste, or substitute fresh garlic.
- Add 1–2 teaspoons dried thyme for another flavor variation.
- Low-sodium soy sauce may replace Worcestershire sauce if desired.
- Gluten-free: Use tamari and thicken with cornstarch or arrowroot instead of flour.
- Adjust the gravy thickness— Slowly stir in the flour slurry until the gravy reaches your preferred thickness. It will usually thicken in 2 to 5 minutes.
⬇️ Make It Small Batch
This recipe is easy to cut in half for about 3 servings, perfect for a household of two.
Use the recipe card to adjust the servings to half. The ingredient amounts will update automatically, but the instructions do not.
Cook for the same amount of time until the beef is fork tender.
🍽️ How to Serve Beef Tips and Gravy
Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice with a side of vegetables or a fresh salad.
❄️ Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 4 days in the refrigerator or 4 months in the freezer.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of beef broth if the gravy is too thick.
❓ FAQs
Yes. Brown the beef and onion first for the best flavor, then transfer everything except the thickener to a slow cooker. Cook on Low for 6–8 hours or High for 3–4 hours, until the beef is fork tender. During the last 15–30 minutes, stir in a cornstarch slurry until the gravy reaches your desired thickness.
Yes, but I prefer flour for this stovetop recipe because the gravy stays smoother after refrigeration and reheating. Cornstarch-thickened gravy can become gelatinized when chilled, although the flavor is unchanged. Cornstarch works better in a crock pot because it thickens more reliably at the lower cooking temperature.
To substitute cornstarch, use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch for every 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix the cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water to make a smooth slurry before stirring it into the cooking liquid.
This recipe has no added salt because the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth provide plenty of seasoning. To reduce the sodium, use low-sodium beef broth and low-sodium Worcestershire sauce. Taste before serving and add salt only if needed.
📖 Comfort Food Recipes
Looking for more comfort food?
📖The Recipe Card
Beef Tips and Gravy
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 pounds beef - trimmed and cubed
- 1 onion - medium - diced
- 14-28 oz low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup flour - may take a bit more
- noodles or mashed potatoes to serve
Step-by-Step Instructions
- You will need 2 pounds of trimmed and cubed beef. A nicely marbled chuck roast or top sirloin are good choices. You can also use premade stew meat.
- Trim and cut the beef into bite-size pieces of about 1 inch.
- Chop one medium onion.
- Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and beef.
- Brown the beef and onion for about 10 minutes. Then add 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Add a 14-oz can of low-sodium beef broth.
- Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to simmer and cover. After about 90 minutes, the meat should be fork-tender. Whisk together ½ cup flour and enough beef broth or water to make about 2 cups of slurry.
- Uncover and turn the heat back to medium-high. When the mixture is boiling well, slowly add part of the flour slurry. Mix continuously and slowly add more every few minutes until the gravy reaches your desired thickness.
- Cook a few more minutes. Serve over mashed potatoes or noodles.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- The recipe is easy to cut in half, but the leftovers freeze well, so I usually cook the full batch.
- You can use "stew meat" from your local store. I prefer a nicely marbled chuck roast or top sirloin.
- Dusting the meat with flour before browning will add some flavor.
- Cover and simmer for about 90 minutes. The meat needs to be "fork tender" before proceeding to the gravy stage.
- Make up a little extra of the flour slurry. Add most of it and add more later if you need thicker.
- Gravy made with cornstarch will not store well for leftovers.
- Good in the refrigerator for 4 days. It will freeze well for 4 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally Published October 15, 2017. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Dea Varner says
Hey Dr. Dan! Just wanted to say thank you for yet another easy but awesome recipe!! Made the beef tips tonight and it was very easy and the taste is incredible!! Served them with some green beans and mashed potatoes!! Your recipes never disappoint!!
Kevin O'Brien says
Thanks, Dr. Dan, for another excellent recipe like the beef tips and gravy.
Your step by step photo instructions have always been a nice touch, but I am unable to pull them up, no matter what I do. I'm a visual person; can you help?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Kevin,
Welcome to the blog. Thanks for the note and compliment. Private email sent to address your issue.
Dan
Katherine A Dietz says
Can this be made in a 4qt crock pot ? Thanks for the great recipes for two! Also any good recipes for mashed potatoes?
Katherine
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Katherine,
Yes, but you should brown the meat and cook the onion first for better taste (you could skip it). Just do that on the stovetop with a large pan with a lid. Then add other ingredients except for flour. Then use the flour in water at the end to make the gravy. So to do it in a crock pot takes longer, and you now have more to clean. And it makes the gravy harder (and I prefer flour-based gravy vs corn starch). I do have more about how in the FAQs in the post.
Dan
Nancy says
great recipe
John Sack says
Looks good -- now, suppose I'm *starting* with leftover beef (prime rib from Sunday) -- how would I use it in this recipe? (I already made ham panini with the leftover ham, so I probably can't do another round of panini.)
John
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi John,
Welcome the blog.
To use previously cooked meat, you only need to simmer long enough to heat it up and transfer some flavor, then proceed with the gravy making. I do have a Philly sandwiches recipe for leftover beef tenderloin you might want to check out. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/what-to-do-with-leftover-beef/
Dan
John R Sack says
Thanks, Dan! I was looking for the leftover beef recipe, but found only the leftover ham one.
Jon Barker says
This is a great recipe! I am not an onion fan so I just omit. Taste is great! I put over bow tie noodles! Yum. I am also a huge fan of your French dip minus the onion. Lol
Sherry & Rick Hooper says
I search the internet looking for beef and pork recipes but somehow always end up right here every time. Thanks for putting in all of the hours making these great recipes that you have here at this one site. And I'd like to say also I love the counter/timer that you have put at the bottom of the recipe that saves a lot of time.
Matthew Margiewicz says
Hi Dr. Dan my name is Matt just want to say my wife and I have tried at least a dozen of your recipes some of them multiple times. Everyone has been top notch most recently we made the pork tenderloin sandwich and it was great. Keep up the good work!!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Matthew,
Welcome to the blog and sorry for the delayed reply.
Glad you are enjoying the recipes. This one and the pork tenderloin get repeated frequently in my house.
Thanks again for the note and rating. And again sorry for the delayed response.
Dan
Kimberlee Kleine says
Hello! I want to freeze this dish and am wondering - can I freeze it with the gravy or should I wait to make the gravy after I've defrosted it ? Thanks so much for the wonderful recipes and wonderful pictures of the furry family members! Kimberlee
DrDan says
Hi Kimberlee,
Welcome to the blog.
Yep, it will freeze for 3-4 months. Gravy that is flour based will freeze well if not made with dairy. Gravy made with cornstarch will not even refrigerate well.
DrDan
Leslie says
I am wondering if this has a strong taste of Worcestershire, Its not a favorite flavor of mine if too strong. Would love to try this recipe but that is the only thing holding me back.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Leslie,
No, not a lot but you can cut back the Worcestershire if you want.
Dan
Denise says
Hi! Please tell me what to do for 10 minutes in Step 4. Thank you!
DrDan says
Hi Denise,
Sorry for the lack of clarity. It should read "Brown the meat for about 10 minutes. Then add ....." - Fixed.
It has been like that for several years. It is what happens when I write directions from memory. I know what I mean but it doesn't always come through the fingers.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Kellie Constance says
Followed the recipe to the T last week (except I use fresh garlic) and I used stew meat. Making again today since my hubby is back in town and I’m using chuck roast I cut up. So excited for my husband to try it! Great recipe!
DrDan says
Hi Kellie
Welcome to the blog.
This is one of your Sunday dinner comfort foods for cold days. Glad you liked it.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Jessica Wright says
hi my name is Jessica, I have never made beef tips before and I followed your recipe and it was amazing I just want to thank you for being able to to make something so good that was so easy. my boyfriend really liked it so it made me happy so thank you. With that being said I had a wonderful evening because of the meal.
Kim says
Nice easy recipe. Really like the addition of Worcestershire sauce, adds a rich depth of flavor.
Bruce Vaughn says
Great Recipe! Easy to do without a lot of attention being paid to it. I substituted red wine for 1/3 of the beef broth and used two garlic cloves instead of the powder. Thanks for sharing.
sandy fisher says
occasionally made these, but never used worcestershire sauce. made for much better flavor profile - thank you!
ps: dogs are beautiful and enjoy the updates.
DrDan says
Hi Sandy
Thanks for the note. The Worcestershire does make the "beef" taste pop so I use it frequently for that.
Molly and Lilly say thanks also.
Dan
gkbowood says
Really nice on a coolish day! We added 1/2 T sweet paprika as the gravy thickened...tasty.