A fantastic tried and true recipe that’s been a family favorite for over a decade – Best-Ever Beef Tips & Gravy! Easy to make, so darn good. Rave Reviews!
Best Ever Beef Tips & Gravy Recipe (Easy Prep)
Tender beef cooked in a deliciously rich brown gravy, served over rice, mashed potatoes or egg noodles – a satisfying, filling meal the whole family will love. Simple to make comfort food that’s easy to adapt to your taste!
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Original Post Date: Aug 17, 2017. Post Updated May 23, 2023
What You Need to Make The Best Beef Tips & Gravy (Full Recipe at Bottom of Post)
- beef stew meat, cubed
- vegetable oil (or canola)
- onion, chopped
- water
- soy sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- garlic powder (or fresh garlic)
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
- brown gravy mix packet (.75 ounce)
- water
- red wine (optional)
- mushrooms (optional)
*For less salt/ lower sodium, leave out the teaspoon of salt and use reduced sodium soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and brown gravy mix.
How to make Easy Beef Tips & Gravy
In a large skillet over medium-high to high heat, heat 3 tablespoons of oil then add the chopped onion and cook until they are translucent, stirring occasionally.
Next, add cubed beef to the oil and onions, browning the meat on all sides – it will take about a minute on each side. After browning the beef, add 2 cups of water, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Next add garlic powder, salt and pepper, stir well.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat, COVER and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Last, in a medium size bowl (I use my measuring cup), add the gravy mix and 1 cup water, mix well then pour over beef – stir until well blended. Increase heat, bringing to a boil while continuously stirring – it is ready when the sauce slightly thickens.
Serve over mashed potatoes, white rice or egg noodles with your favorite steamed vegetable and salad.
This awesome recipe was found on food.com and has been a go-to comfort food on cold, rainy and snowy days for years. What’s so great, it’s a cinch to adapt to your taste and so easy to make.
If I have red wine in the house, I will replace water with 1/4 to 1/3 cup, and pour the rest in a glass. 😀 Fresh garlic is best, but garlic powder works well too. Mushrooms are also a wonderful addition.
You can make Best-Ever Beef Tips & Gravy in the Slow Cooker – Try the slow cooker version!
Frequently Asked Questions
The beef tips and gravy can be served over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, rice, thick sliced toast.
Serve with your favorite vegetables – green veggies are wonderful, like broccoli, asparagus, green beans. Garden salad, bread, garlic bread and dinner rolls make great sides.
These beef tips are even better the next day. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave.
Yes! This recipe is great without red wine, but with it…so darn good. Highly recommend!
Want More Easy Beef Recipes Like This One?
Best Ever Beef Tips & Gravy (Easy)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (or canola)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup soy sauce (you can use reduced sodium)
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce (you can use reduced sodium)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or use fresh garlic)
- 1 teaspoon salt (omit to reduce sodium)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 packet brown gravy mix .75 ounce packet (you can use reduced sodium)
- 1 cup water
- Eggs Noodles, Rice or Mashed Potatoes (to serve with beef tips)
Optional
- ¼ – ⅓ cup red wine – Use 1/4 to 1/3 cup of wine, replacing an equal amount of water with wine (1/4 cup wine plus 1 3/4 cups water OR 1/3 cup wine with 1 2/3 cups water).
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (fresh or canned)
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high to high heat, heat 3 tablespoons of oil then add the chopped onion and cook until they are translucent, stirring occasionally.
- Next, add cubed beef to the oil and onions, browning the meat on all sides – it will take about a minute on each side. After browning the beef, add 2 cups of water, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Next add garlic powder, salt and pepper, stir well.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat, COVER and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Last, in a medium size bowl (I use my measuring cup), add the gravy mix and 1 cup water, mix well then pour over beef – stir until well blended. Increase heat, bringing to a boil while continuously stirring – it is ready when the sauce slightly thickens.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, white rice or egg noodles. Great with your favorite steamed vegetable and a side salad.
Notes
- 3 cups of water needed for this recipe. 2 cups are used in the beginning of the recipe – the last 1 cup is used with the brown gravy mix at the end.
- For less salt/ lower sodium, leave out the teaspoon of salt and use reduced sodium soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and brown gravy mix.
- Red wine is an awesome addition. I use 1/4 to 1/3 cup of wine – replacing an equal amount of water with wine (1/4 cup wine plus 1 3/4 cups water OR 1/3 cup wine with 1 2/3 cups water).
- Mushrooms are a great addition too.
- Make Best-Ever Beef Tips & Gravy in the Slow Cooker.
Kira
Wondering if anyone has ever precooked and then frozen? If you’ve done this how did you thaw/reheat? TIA
Heather Lesher
I want to say I have made this recipe many times. I make it just how it says. It is the most delicious recipe for beef tips EVER! I just want to say thank you for this recipe. I am currently making it right now 🙂
Melissa
Hi im making this tonight and i made a bit of a mistake? I added the gravy mix before i started simmering?
Ashlynn
Pretty good! I’ve only ever used a crockpot for a recipe like this but the stovetop method worked well. I had 2.75 lb of stew meat that I dredged in flour and seasonings (no salt). Then browned. This ensures a thick, hearty gravy. Used 2 cups of water & only had about a cup of white cooking wine so tossed that in as well. Followed the rest of recipe precisely with low sodium soy & gravy packet. Mine took closer to 3 hours. We have a lot left.. this would be a great freezer meal but we’ll eat on the leftovers. I have a feeling they’ll be even better! Thanks for a great, easy recipe.
April
Came across this recipe today and made it for dinner. It was a hit, everyone loved it. I used
1 1/4 cups water and 3/4 cup red wine and no soy sauce. Other than omitting the soy sauce, I followed the recipe. This will be my go to recipe for beef tips from now on. Thanks for sharing.
Sharon
I make this just as the recipe says and then add broccoli towards the end for a yummy beef and broccoli that we eat over brown rice. Very delicious!
Ryan
I did not even add the salt and the dish was way to salty for my family’s liking, just using the soy and Worcestershire sauce and the brown gravy was overpowering enough. It tasted like eating a salt lick.
Ronnie
Was delicious. I opted to add the wine and it had such depth of flavor I was so glad I did. Will be making this again soon. Thank you.
Cindy
This recipe is great I’ll definitely will make again!!
Jenn
I may have missed it, but at what step would you recommend adding the mushrooms?
Wendy
Can I eliminate the soy sauce or double the Worcester. I have Celiac and soy sauce has gluten. I hate the taste of gf soy sauce too.
Ashley Littlejohn
You can always use Liquid Aminos. It’s a natural, soy sauce alternative. And it’s delicious!
Susan
This was really great, my husband loved it, will certainly make it again. Used a cheaper piece of meat Denver chuck, cooked on lowb2 hours, and so tender
Lily
If I use the pressure cooker, would I put the gravy mix in with it or after?
Tammy
I’m making this tight now and the smell is fantastic!, Thanks so much for sharing.
Brittany
How long would I cook this in an instant pot??
Michael Garcia
Have made several times now(used chuck roast) and comes out great
Julie J
I liked the results, I didn’t have any onions so I used a pack of beef onion soup
Jeannie
When I make mine in the insta pot I brown it on sauté then add the liquid and seasonings and cook on high for 25 minutes and let it natural release. You can either add the gravy packets or I add a cornstarch slurry or flour and water mixture to make my gravy after removing the cooked meat. Cook on sauté stirring constantly to make your gravy. Once desired thickness of gravy add meat back in and stir approximately 2-3 minutes until meat is warmed up again. Enjoy. Hope this helps. Oops just realize this post was quite old so you probably have already figured it out.
Cleeo2
Too salty. I used low sodium soy sauce, but still. Next time I am going to omit the soy sauce until I see how it tastes at the end because brown gravy packets are very salty alone. I am thinking the gravy & Worcestershire are enough. But if not, then I will add a Tablespoon of soy sauce.
My mom made a similar tasting dish when I was a kid, but she added green peppers(sliced). So I added some during last hour of cooking.
Elizabeth Eshleman
Did not work for me. Too much liquid. Didn’t thicken. Followed the recipe exactly. Had to throw the whole thing out.
Deb
Why wouldn’t you just thicken the gravy instead of throwing it out?
Tiesha T
Pro tip use flour and water or cornstarch and water to thicken gravy
Gigi
Any way to do that in a crock pot?
Mary Neumann
Hi Gigi,
Yes, head here. There is a print option with the recipe. 🙂
https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/best-ever-beef-tips-made-in-the-slow-cooker/
Stacy
Could you take this as a base recipe for stroganoff?
magsnTx
I see that it calls for a packet of beef gravy mix and a cup of water, That should do it.
Angela Sue Crawford
Looking forward to trying this recipe. However I am wondering what the just water combination, with low-sodium soy, whorchester sauce how this becomes a thickened gravy as your recipe doesn’t seem to involve a ” butter/ flour…rue” I have never seen any bottled “gravy” product…by any mfr heinze,etc. To give me a thick gravy…such as your photos suggest. I try it in a small batch incase it flops.
Angela
Ramsey
I loved this recipe so much I was wondering if I could use these same ingredients when I make my bottom round roast? Do you think it will work?
Tommie
Nice
Ross
Great recipe just not sure why my brown gravy never thickens up like your pictures.
Mary Neumann
Ross, if you are having issue with the gravy or just like a thicker gravy, mix 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and 1 Tablespoon water and add it to the gravy. Great to have cornstarch in your pantry.
Read more here: https://www.thespruceeats.com/thicken-a-sauce-with-cornstarch-996071
Sydni
Mine won’t thicken either. I’m over here reading the comments trying to figure out why it won’t thicken. It’s watery.
Tiffany
I add 2 packets of gravy with 1 cup of water. The more it sits and cools the thicker it gets.
Kathie
The recipe sounds great but I was wondering if I can do this in a crock pot. If so, what temp and for how long?
Mary Neumann
Yes, Kathie,head here –> https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/best-ever-beef-tips-made-in-the-slow-cooker/
Ali
Looks delicious! When/how would you add mushrooms? What kind?
William Shoch
Unable to save to AnyList – Can you fix?
Jacquelyn
I used the Create Recipe feature on AnyList then copied and pasted the ingredient list then the directions. If you use the Web Image Search selection, the picture of this recipe comes up as well to add to AnyList.
Jenn
This was incredible! Everyone loved it and I will definitely be putting this on my list of of go tools. Great flavor!
Laura Emmer
This sounds yummy. Can’t wait to try it out.
You mentioned you use fresh garlic instead of powder. How much fresh garlic? 1 tsp chopped?
Thank you.
Mary Neumann
Here is a good resource, Laura – https://www.acouplecooks.com/garlic-powder-substitute/