Sharing another favorite slow cooker recipe today…Steak Cubes and Gravy over Mashed Potatoes! I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked for this recipe, everyone seems to love it. There are a few more steps than with a typical crockpot recipe, but I guarantee the results are worth it. And this recipe makes quite a bit of food, so you might even be able to eat it for several days.
Here’s how it’s made!
Start by frying up a few slices of diced bacon. This creates a great flavor base to the gravy….
Put the cooked bacon in the bottom of the crockpot.
Add the beef cubes and a few tablespoons of oil to the same pan you used to fry the bacon (no need to clean the pan first). Salt and pepper the beef cubes liberally and brown on all sides. I used cubed beef chuck from Costco for this batch.
Remove the beef cubes from the frying pan and put them on top of the cooked bacon.
Add some chopped onions and a little more oil to the same pan you have cooked the bacon and beef cubes. Again no need to clean the pan first. All of the browning in the pan from the meat is called “fond” and will add a ton of flavor to your gravy. It doesn’t look pretty, but it will taste good!
Sauté the onion over medium-low heat until softened (2-3 minutes).
Add the flour (the thicken your sauce) and whisk together with the onions, cooking briefly to remove the raw flour taste.
Add broth, tomato sauce, beef stock, red cooking wine (if using), and spices. Whisk over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until thickened and bubbly. Set aside.
Peel some carrots and slice them into 2” rounds. Place them over the beef in the crockpot.
Pour the gravy over everything and cook, covered, on high for 6-8 hours.
This sauce is so good over mashed potatoes or even steamed rice or a rice pilaf. The beef is fall apart tender and so full of flavor! Enjoy!!
Slow Cooker Beef Cubes and Gravy over Mashed Potatoes
5 slices bacon, cut into 1/4” pieces
3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1” cubes
Salt and Pepper
1/2 of a medium sized onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup red cooking wine, or extra beef broth
2 1/2 cup low sodium beef broth
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
10 carrots, peeled and cut into 2” pieces
Mashed potatoes for serving
Directions:
In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon and transfer to the slow cooker.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the now empty skillet. Season the beef with salt and pepper and to the bacon grease and brown over medium-high heat, until browned. Transfer to slow cooker.
Top the beef with the raw carrots.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the onion to the now empty skillet. No need to wash! Add spices and cook until onion is softened. Add the flour and stir until the raw taste of the flour is cooked out. Add the cooking wine, beef broth, and tomato sauce. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture is slightly thickened and the pan has been deglazed.
Pour over the beef and carrots and cover the crock pot. Cook on high for 6-8 hours and serve over mashed potatoes*!
*Here’s our favorite mashed potato recipe!
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