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Slow Cooker Steak Bites

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Slow cooker steak bites are juicy, fall-apart tender, and flavorful pieces of meat without all the fuss of having to cook a whole steak! This dump-and-set recipe is pure comfort food that is best served over mashed potatoes or noodles to soak up the delicious gravy!

overhead shot of slow cooker steak bites.

Crockpot Steak Bites

My whole family loves my garlic butter steak bites done on the stovetop, but you know how I feel about slow cooker meals, so I needed a crock pot version.

They’re bite-size so my kids love them and because they’re so full of flavor, it’s also one of my meat-loving husband’s favorite meals, too! Truly a family favorite.

Steak is no longer reserved for special occasions or Sunday dinner, crockpot steak bites are an effortless way of getting dinner on the table any night of the week!

Serve with garlic mashed potatoes or egg noodles to soak up the flavorful gravy it makes. Or keep it low carb with a side salad.

No matter how you serve them, they will be devoured quickly!

For another variation, try my slow cooker honey garlic steak bites or slow cooker mushroom steak bites next.

Why you’ll love Slow Cooker Steak Bites

Effortless – No more standing at the grill or stove checking for doneness. You just set the slow cooker and have time to concentrate on side dishes or nothing at all!

Tasty – The aromatics and seasonings give the beef so much rich flavor. In the end, you’ll even have some au jus to enjoy.

Freezer-friendly – Keep leftovers frozen for a while. Thaw and reheat and bam! Dinner is served.

Customizable – Use a different cut of beef or additional seasonings (try Montreal steak seasoning). There are plenty of ways to make it your own.

Easy weeknight meal – You just dump the ingredients in the pot before school or work and set it and forget it until you’re ready to serve them at the end of a busy day. It is recommended to stir every once in a while, but even if you don’t, they still come out perfect every time.

plates of steak bites, mashed potatoes, and brussels sprouts.

Equipment you’ll need

  • Slow Cooker – You’ll need at least a 6 quart slow cooker, up to an 8 quart.
  • Knife – A good quality kitchen knife can be a game changer. Especially when slicing meat.
  • Tongs – For transferring small cubes of beef from the skillet to the crockpot without making a mess.

Ingredients

Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.

  • Sirloin Steak – Round steak, chuck roast, or beef stew meat can also be used. If it doesn’t already come in cubes, cut them into small pieces, usually around 1″ cubes. It can be easier to cut meat when it’s still slightly frozen.
  • Kosher Salt & Black Pepper – A bit of seasoning to draw out the flavors of the meat. We’re using kosher salt which contains larger granules than regular salt, so it’ll extract the flavor without being too salty.
  • Olive oil – Used to sear the steak bites to give them that beautiful crust on the outside to lock in the moisture of the meat. Also helps them not stick to the pan. Vegetable oil can also be used.
  • Small Sweet Onion & Garlic – The pair of aromatics that give the dish a robust flavor and is the base of the gravy.
  • Unsalted Beef Stock – Homemade or store-bought, whichever you prefer. Just be sure it’s unsalted as the au jus gravy mix has quite a bit already. Beef broth can also be used.
  • Packet Au Jus Gravy Mix – This will add a lot more seasoning and flavor to the natural au jus that results from slow cooking the beef.
  • Unsalted Butter – When added to the meat, it melts into the beef cubes adding even more moisture and buttery, melt-in-your-mouth textures.
  • Fresh Chopped Parsley – For a pop of color and a vibrant garnish to finish!
overhead shot of labeled ingredients laid out to make slow cooker steak bites.

How to make Slow Cooker Steak Bites

  1. STEP ONE: First, toss the steak bites in a large bowl with salt and pepper to season.
  2. STEP TWO: Then, heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear all sides of the beef until nicely brown on the outside. Cook in batches, adding more oil as needed, to not overcrowd the pan.
  3. STEP THREE: Next, place steak into a slow cooker then toss with the onion and garlic. Pour in the beef stock overtop, sprinkle in the au jus packet and add the sliced butter on top of everything.
  4. STEP FOUR: Finally, cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours. Stir every 30 minutes if you can.
collage of 4 photos showing steak bites being made in a slow cooker.

What to serve with Crockpot Beef Tips

We’re big fans of steak and potatoes whether it’s garlic mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes. I’ll usually do a simple veggie side as well like oven roasted carrots, roasted zucchini, or oven roasted garlic green beans.

When I’m serving a larger crowd, I’ll always have a basket of bread on the table and these one hour dinner rolls are always a hit.

If you’re using these steak bites as an appetizer for game day parties, holiday parties, or another type of gathering, have some toothpicks handy and serve them with a dipping sauce.

Spicy BBQ sauce, yum yum sauce, and this copycat TGI Fridays Jack Daniel’s sauce are my faves.

collage of 3 photos showing the process of prepping steak bites in a crock pot.

Tips & Substitutions 🥩

  • Sear the beef in batches in a single layer. Overcrowding the skillet will not leave enough room between each one to brown nicely. Instead, it will transfer steam which stops the crust from forming.
  • Stir in some seared cremini or button mushrooms at the end for a nice twist.
  • Sprinkle in red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
  • Use unsalted beef broth in place of beef stock if you can’t find it.
  • You can add additional herbs to make this even more flavorful. A few sprigs of thyme or rosemary would be fantastic.
  • A heaping tablespoon of prepared pesto or a squeeze of lemon juice at the end before serving would be welcomed additions as well.

How to reheat and store leftovers

Once completely cooled, store leftover steak bites in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze them?

Yes. Transfer them to a freezer-friendly bag or container and keep them frozen for up to 3 months.

How to reheat leftovers?

Thaw in the fridge overnight and add them back into the slow cooker to warm through. You can also use a skillet over medium-low heat or if you’re just reheating a single serving, you can use the microwave.

spoon scooping steak bites from a crockpot.

FAQs

How to thicken the au jus into gravy?

If you want a thick gravy, you can add a cornstarch slurry or some flour into the juice at the end.

Do I have to sear the steak first?

You don’t. It does add great flavor but it’s completely optional. You can make it a true dump-and-set crock pot steak bites recipe without adding that step and omitting the oil completely.

What steak is best for slow cooker?

There are plenty of different cuts of meat to use, but some are better than others. Using the low and slow method helps to tenderize the steak tips while the flavors penetrate as it cooks.

I use sirloin tips because not only do they cook tenderly and break down easy, but it’s also lean and cost-effective. I’ll usually stock up when it’s on sale and keep it frozen.

Flank steak is also good, as is chuck, stew meat, and round steak. Stew meat is easy because it already comes cut up.

Need more easy beef recipes? Try these:

4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches
Crockpot Roast Beef
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Irish Guinness Beef Stew

Click here for my entire collection of slow cooker recipes.

closeup of steak bites in gravy on a dinner plate.

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overhead shot of slow cooker steak bites.

Slow Cooker Steak Bites

Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates
Slow cooker steak bites are juicy, fall-apart tender, and flavorful pieces of meat without all the fuss of having to cook a whole steak! This dump-and-set recipe is pure comfort food that is best served over mashed potatoes or noodles to soak up the delicious gravy!
4.75 from 378 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 312 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 3 pounds sirloin steak cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small sweet onion thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 1 cup unsalted beef stock or broth
  • 1 ounce au jus gravy mix (1 packet)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter thinly sliced
  • fresh chopped parsley for garnish optional

Instructions
 

  • Place the steak into a large bowl with the salt and pepper and toss to combine.
  • Get a large skillet hot over medium-high heat and add half of the oil. Sear off the steak pieces in batches and place them into an 6-quart slow cooker. Add more oil to the pan if needed.
  • Once all the steak is seared, add the onion and garlic to the slow cooker, toss with the steak bites.
  • Pour in the beef stock. Sprinkle the au jus packet over the top. Lay slices of the butter over the top.
  • Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours. Stir every 30 minutes or so if you can.
  • Serve with a garnish of fresh parsley if using.

Notes

  • Round steak, stew meat, or chuck roast can be used in place of sirloin.
  • Searing is optional but adds great flavor. If skipping, add seasoned steak directly to the slow cooker.
  • Serve with egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
  • Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 38gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 756mgPotassium: 771mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 177IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 4mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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  1. Jane says

    I only have 1 1/2 of beef cubes can I still use this recipe?

    • Melissa Williams says

      1 1/2 lbs? Yes, you just may want to cut the “gravy” ingredients in half as well.

  2. Kristi says

    Can you make this recipe in an insta pot instead of crockpot? If so, do you have instructions for that?

    • Melissa Williams says

      I’m sure you can but I haven’t tested in the IP.

  3. Cathy says

    5 stars
    We love this recipe. I was easy and made enough for me to freeze.

  4. Nancy See says

    5 stars
    this was so easy and delicious. I used stew meat and put this over noodles. GREAT!

  5. Mandy says

    Can ribeye be used in this?

  6. ANN Alexander Joy says

    can’t wait to try it I am having stomach trouble at the moment but will try it later

  7. Mrs. S says

    5 stars
    I recently pulled this recipe from my saved Pinterest recipe file to make for friends coming over to watch an evening football game. We’re in the older age bracket (late 60s) and I don’t get an opportunity to use my crockpot that often. I followed Melissa’s recipe to the ‘t’ and served it with both garlic mashed potatoes and noodles (to give my guests a choice) along with a huge chopped salad and crusty bread. It was so easy to put together and the aroma that waft through the house was wonderful! IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! I would not change a single thing about this recipe. There wasn’t a single morsel left and I received so many compliments from our guests! Every single one of our guests requested a copy of this recipe – what better compliment is there than that?

    • Melissa Williams says

      The BEST compliment – thank you so much for reporting back 🙂

  8. Veronica says

    Can I use a rump roast? And if so, how many hours do you think I should do?

    • Melissa Williams says

      rump roast is very lean so I would opt for a longer cook time (on low) to help tenderize the meat.

  9. Raini Oden says

    I noticed the serving size was 1g, but that doesn’t seem correct… am i crazy? lol

    • Melissa Williams says

      The nutrition calculator is just a rough estimate. 1g = 1 serving (this recipe makes 8 servings), but you’d need to weigh & track your actual ingredients and serving size to get an accurate number.

  10. Tracy says

    Hi there!
    Can I use a beef stew seasoning packet instead of the au jus seasoning packet?
    I can’t wait to try this recipe!
    Thank you.

    • Melissa Williams says

      I’m sure you can but I haven’t tested to know the flavor difference 🙂

  11. Danielle says

    5 stars
    Omg family new fav.

  12. Mary Heinsz says

    5 stars
    I used stew meat, and I did brown it. Sometime I am going to make it without browning it to see if it adds enough flavor to make it worthwhile. That is the most time consuming part of this recipe. The flavor and tenderness of the meat is so good. I served it with mashed potatoes, a vegetable medley and dinner roll.

  13. Charlie says

    2 stars
    While the flavor was good the meat was very dry – don’t know what I did wrong.

    • Melissa Williams says

      Every slow cooker runs differently, there’s a chance you overcooked it.

  14. Amanda says

    5 stars
    This was so delicious! I added mushrooms to the bites and served it over horseradish mashed potatoes. Highly recommend, it was the most tender dish. My husband and toddler raved about it!

  15. Christina says

    5 stars
    Words can’t describe how good this was! The only slight modification I made was adding a cornstarch slurry towards the end to thicken the “gravy”. The steak bites & gravy were phenomenal! Served on New Years day with some mashed potatoes & fried cabbage. Will make this on repeat!!!

  16. E says

    Can I instant pot this recipe instead of slow cook?

    • Melissa Williams says

      I’m sure it can, but I haven’t tested it.

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