Blog
Beef Tips and Gravy (Tender Sirloin Tips in Brown Gravy)
Beef tips and gravy is bite-size beef, seared hard in a hot pot and then simmered low in a rich brown onion gravy until each piece is tender enough to cut with a spoon. The browned bits left in the pan become the base of the gravy, so it tastes deep and savory without any packet mix.
This guide covers which cut to buy (and what “sirloin tips” on a label actually means), the ingredients, a step-by-step stovetop method, slow cooker and Instant Pot timings, a fix-it table, what to serve underneath, and how to store and reheat leftovers. The printable recipe card is at the bottom.
What Are Beef Tips and Gravy?
Beef tips are simply 1- to 1½-inch pieces of beef. In the South and Midwest, “beef tips and gravy” means those pieces braised in a brown gravy and spooned over rice, egg noodles or mashed potatoes. It’s a diner and cafeteria classic because a modest amount of meat feeds a crowd once it’s swimming in gravy.
How it differs from the beef dishes it gets confused with:
- Beef stew cooks the meat with potatoes, carrots and lots of broth in one pot. Beef tips have no vegetables in the pot except onion (and mushrooms if you like), and the sauce is a thick, pourable gravy, not a brothy stew.
- Beef stroganoff finishes with sour cream for a tangy, creamy sauce. Beef tips and gravy stays a classic brown gravy.
- Swiss steak braises whole pounded steaks in tomato sauce. Our swiss steak recipe is the tomato-braised cousin; this one is all about brown gravy.
If you want a stew with vegetables instead, the crockpot beef stew is the better fit.
Which Cut to Buy for Beef Tips
Meat labels are confusing here, so it’s worth knowing what you’re looking at before you buy. The table shows each option and how long it needs to turn tender on the stovetop.
| Label or cut | What it usually is | Stovetop simmer | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sirloin tips (cubed) | Pieces of bottom sirloin, often flap meat | 1¼ to 1½ hours | Beefy, tender, holds its shape |
| Sirloin tip roast or steak | Despite the name, a lean cut from the round | 1½ to 2 hours | Lean and firmer; keep it in plenty of gravy |
| Chuck roast, cubed at home | Shoulder, well marbled | 2 to 2½ hours | The most tender and juicy; best budget pick |
| “Stew meat” | Mixed trimmings, often chuck and round | 1½ to 2½ hours | Uneven: some pieces soften before others |
| Top sirloin steak | A grilling steak | 1 to 1¼ hours | Works, but pricey and can turn dry |
The best pick for classic beef tips and gravy is a package labeled “sirloin tips” or “flap meat,” cut into 1½-inch cubes. Flap is the same loose-grained cut sold as bavette; if you’ve cooked our bavette steak, you know how beefy it tastes. Its open grain soaks up gravy beautifully.
On a budget, buy a 2½-pound chuck roast and cube it yourself. You’ll trim off a few ounces of fat, but the price per pound is usually lower than sirloin tips, and chuck becomes silky after a long simmer. Avoid pre-cut stew meat when you can: the mix of cuts means some pieces are tender while others still chew. For more hands-off chuck ideas, see this chuck roast crock pot recipe and the rest of our beef recipes.
Beef Tips and Gravy Ingredients
Everything comes from the meat counter and pantry. These amounts serve 6.
For the beef
- Sirloin tips, 2 lb (900 g), cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces, or a 2½-lb chuck roast trimmed and cubed.
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1½ teaspoons (or ¾ teaspoon table salt), and black pepper, ½ teaspoon.
- Neutral oil, 2 tablespoons (canola, vegetable or avocado) for searing.
For the gravy
- Unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons.
- Yellow onion, 1 large, diced.
- Cremini or white mushrooms, 8 oz (225 g), sliced (optional).
- Garlic, 3 cloves, minced.
- Tomato paste, 1 tablespoon, for color and depth (the gravy won’t taste of tomato).
- All-purpose flour, ¼ cup (31 g).
- Low-sodium beef broth, 3 cups (720 ml).
- Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon, and low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon.
- Dried thyme, 1 teaspoon, and 1 bay leaf.
- Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve.
Swaps that work
| Instead of | Use |
|---|---|
| Flour | 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup cold water, stirred in at the end (gluten-free if your soy sauce and Worcestershire are too) |
| Soy sauce | Another ½ tablespoon Worcestershire, or a pinch more salt |
| Part of the broth | ½ cup dry red wine, simmered 2 minutes before the broth goes in |
| Dried thyme | 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary |
| Mushrooms | Leave them out, or add a second onion for a sweeter gravy |
Why low-sodium broth? The gravy reduces as it simmers, and regular broth plus soy sauce and Worcestershire can turn it too salty. You can always add salt at the end.
Easy variations
- Onion gravy only: skip the mushrooms and use 2 onions, sliced into thin half-moons, cooked 12 to 15 minutes until golden.
- Red wine: swap ½ cup of the broth for a dry red such as Cabernet or Merlot for a darker, deeper gravy.
- Peppery Southern style: add 1 teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon onion powder to the gravy and serve the beef tips over rice.
- Creamy: stir ¼ cup heavy cream into the finished gravy off the heat.
- Bigger batch: double everything in a 7-quart pot; sear in four batches and add 15 to 20 minutes to the simmer.
How to Make Beef Tips and Gravy (Step by Step)
A heavy 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven gives the best browning and the gentlest simmer. Plan on about 20 minutes of active work and about 1½ hours of hands-off simmering for sirloin.
- Dry and season. Pat the beef very dry with paper towels. Toss with the salt and pepper.
- Sear in batches. Heat the oil in the pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add half the beef in a single layer with space between pieces and leave it alone for 2 to 3 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms. Turn and brown one more side, then move to a plate. Repeat with the rest.
- Cook the onion and mushrooms. Lower the heat to medium and add the butter. Add the onion, mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook 7 to 8 minutes, scraping the brown bits loose, until the mushrooms release their liquid and start to color.
- Add flavor. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute, until the paste darkens.
- Make the roux. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes. This cooks out the raw flour taste and lightly toasts it.
- Whisk in the broth. Pour in 1 cup of broth while stirring hard, scraping the bottom, until smooth. Add the remaining 2 cups, the Worcestershire, soy sauce, thyme and bay leaf.
- Simmer. Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Bring to a gentle bubble, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and turn the heat to low. Simmer 1¼ to 1½ hours for sirloin tips (2 to 2½ hours for chuck), stirring every 20 minutes, until a piece breaks apart easily with a fork.
- Finish. Remove the bay leaf. If the gravy is thin, simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes. Taste, adjust the salt and pepper, and sprinkle with parsley.
The sear matters more than any other step. Gray, steamed meat gives a pale, flat gravy, so give each batch room and don’t stir it early. If the bottom of the pot looks dark brown (not black) after searing, you’re in good shape.
Stovetop, Crockpot Beef Tips and Instant Pot
The same ingredients work in three appliances. The stovetop gives the best gravy; the slow cooker is the most hands-off; the Instant Pot is fastest.
| Method | Sirloin tips | Chuck | Broth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stovetop (Dutch oven) | Low simmer, 1¼ to 1½ hours | 2 to 2½ hours | 3 cups (720 ml) |
| Slow cooker | LOW 6 to 7 hours or HIGH 3 to 4 hours | LOW 7 to 8 hours or HIGH 4 to 5 hours | 2 cups (480 ml) |
| Instant Pot | High pressure 20 minutes + 10-minute natural release | High pressure 30 to 35 minutes + 10-minute natural release | 2 cups (480 ml) |
Crockpot beef tips
Searching for crockpot beef tips usually means you want to load the pot in the morning. You can, but don’t skip the browning: it’s where most of the flavor comes from.
- Sear the beef and cook the onion, mushrooms, garlic and roux in a skillet exactly as above, then whisk in just 2 cups of broth.
- Scrape everything into the slow cooker, add the beef, Worcestershire, soy, thyme and bay leaf, and cover.
- Cook until fork-tender (see the table). A slow cooker loses almost no liquid, which is why the broth drops to 2 cups.
- Thaw the beef completely first. Frozen meat stays too long in the temperature danger zone, as explained in the USDA slow cooker safety guide.
Instant Pot beef tips
- Sear the beef on Sauté in two batches, then cook the onion and mushrooms, garlic and tomato paste.
- Pour in the 2 cups of broth and scrape the bottom completely clean to avoid a burn warning. Add the beef and seasonings, but leave out the flour.
- Cook on high pressure (see the table), then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Thicken at the end: whisk 3 tablespoons flour into ¼ cup cold water, stir it in, and simmer on Sauté 2 to 3 minutes.
Tips for Tender Beef Tips and Smooth Gravy
Beef tips are a braise, so tenderness comes from time and gentle heat, not from a thermometer reading.
- Cut evenly. Pieces of the same size, about 1½ inches, finish at the same time.
- Cut against the grain when cubing, so the fibers stay short.
- Keep it at a lazy simmer. A hard boil squeezes the meat and makes it stringy. You want a few slow bubbles.
- Push through the tough stage. Around 45 minutes the beef often feels firmer than when it started. That’s normal; it softens as the collagen melts.
- Toast the flour. Two full minutes of stirring keeps the gravy from tasting pasty.
- Add the broth gradually and whisk the first cup in completely before adding more. This is how you avoid lumps.
About temperature: whole cuts of beef are safe at 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest, according to the FoodSafety.gov safe minimum temperatures chart. Beef tips and gravy goes far beyond that, close to 200°F (93°C), because that’s where connective tissue turns to gelatin. You cook it for texture, so judge doneness with a fork, not a thermometer.
Beef Tips and Gravy Troubleshooting
Most problems come down to time, heat or liquid. Here’s how to fix them, even at the table.
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Beef is tough or chewy | Not simmered long enough | Cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes more, then test again |
| Beef is dry and stringy | Boiled too hard, or a very lean cut | Lower the heat; next time use chuck or sirloin tips and keep the lid on |
| Gravy is thin | Too much broth or lid fully on the whole time | Simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes, or stir in 1 tablespoon flour whisked into 2 tablespoons cold water and simmer 3 minutes |
| Gravy is lumpy | Broth added too fast or flour not stirred in | Whisk hard for 1 minute; for stubborn lumps, lift out the beef and blend or strain the gravy |
| Gravy is too salty | Regular broth, or reduced too far | Add ½ cup unsalted water or unsalted broth and a squeeze of lemon; serve over unsalted rice or noodles |
| Gravy is pale or bland | Beef steamed instead of seared | Add 1 teaspoon Worcestershire or soy; brown in smaller batches next time |
What to Serve With Beef Tips
Beef tips need something underneath to catch the gravy. The three classic bases each change the dish a little:
- Beef tips and rice: long-grain white rice is the Southern standard and soaks up gravy fastest. Cook 1½ cups dry rice for 6 people.
- Beef tips and noodles: wide egg noodles tossed with a little butter make it feel like a stroganoff without the sour cream. Use 12 oz (340 g) dry noodles.
- Over mashed potatoes: the richest option, close to a Sunday dinner. Plan on about 2½ lb (1.1 kg) potatoes.
- Something green: green beans, peas, roasted broccoli or a crisp salad balance the richness.
- Biscuits or crusty bread for the last of the gravy.
Like mushroom gravy? The quicker cube steak recipe with mushroom gravy is ready in under an hour. Short on time, try the 30-minute ground beef stroganoff. For another cozy dish over egg noodles, the creamy chicken tetrazzini is a good change of pace later in the week.
Love beef in a creamy sauce? Try classic chipped beef on toast, ready in 20 minutes.
Make-Ahead, Freezing, Storage and Reheating
Beef tips and gravy is one of the best dishes to make ahead. The flavor deepens overnight, and a chilled pot lets you lift any fat off the top.
Make-ahead plan
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 days ahead | Cook completely, cool, and refrigerate in a covered container |
| Morning of | Sear the beef and make the gravy base, then load the slow cooker |
| 30 minutes before dinner | Reheat gently and cook the rice, noodles or potatoes |
Storing and freezing
- Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, in shallow airtight containers, for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze the beef and gravy (without rice or noodles) for up to 3 months. Leave ½ inch of headspace.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
These times follow the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart. Keep the meat covered in gravy so it doesn’t dry out.
Reheating
- Stovetop: warm covered over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or water, stirring now and then, until it reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Microwave: cover loosely and heat in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each, until steaming hot throughout and 165°F.
- Thick gravy after chilling is normal; the gelatin sets in the cold. Thin it with 2 to 4 tablespoons of broth as it warms.
Beef Tips and Gravy FAQ
What cut of meat is used for beef tips?
Most stores sell “sirloin tips,” which are usually cubes of bottom sirloin such as flap meat. Cubed chuck roast is the best budget option and turns even more tender. A sirloin tip roast is actually a lean cut from the round, so it works but stays firmer.
How long do beef tips take to get tender?
On the stovetop, sirloin tips need 1¼ to 1½ hours at a low simmer and chuck needs 2 to 2½ hours. In a slow cooker, plan on 6 to 8 hours on LOW. Test with a fork rather than the clock.
Why are my beef tips tough?
Almost always they need more time. Braised beef firms up before it softens, so cover the pot and simmer gently for another 20 to 30 minutes. A hard boil can also make the meat stringy.
How do you thicken gravy for beef tips?
Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, or whisk 1 tablespoon flour (or 2 teaspoons cornstarch) into 2 tablespoons cold water, stir it in, and simmer 3 minutes until glossy.
Can I use stew meat for beef tips and gravy?
Yes, but cut any large pieces down to an even size and simmer for at least 1½ hours. Because stew meat mixes cuts, test several pieces before serving.
Beef Tips and Gravy Recipe Card
Calories are an estimate per serving (â…™ of the recipe, without rice, noodles or potatoes) based on USDA FoodData Central values for raw beef sirloin, vegetable oil, butter, onion, mushrooms, all-purpose flour, tomato paste and beef broth.
Beef Tips and Gravy
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the beef very dry and toss with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in 2 batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side for 2 sides, until deeply browned. Move to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the butter. Cook the onion and mushrooms with a pinch of salt 7 to 8 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir 1 minute.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes.
- Whisk in 1 cup of broth until smooth, then add the remaining 2 cups, the Worcestershire, soy sauce, thyme and bay leaf.
- Return the beef and its juices. Bring to a gentle bubble, cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer on low 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours (2 to 2 1/2 hours for chuck), stirring every 20 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Remove the bay leaf. Simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes if the gravy is thin, season to taste and sprinkle with parsley. Serve over rice, egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
