Southern Beef Tips with Rice and Gravy
Southern Beef Tips with Rice and Gravy is comfort food at it’s finest! This classic Southern dish consists of tender bites of seasoned sirloin in a rich brown gravy served over rice or egg noodles….not complicated or fancy, just deliciously good!
You can make this recipe on the stovetop or in the crock pot / slow cooker! Both instructions are included in the recipe!
This is an amazingly simple and delicious recipe every cook needs in their “back pocket.” Tender bites of stewed beef, seasoned to perfection and served over rice…best comfort food ever!
Why this recipe works
I make this easy beef recipe several times a year, along with the other “regular” menu items at our house…meatloaf, chicken spaghetti, pot roast and chili! But I never get tired of this easy recipe!
- Stove top or Slow Cooker – either method yields a delicious meal!
- All-natural ingredients – no condensed soups or dry soup mixes
- The homemade brown gravy recipe comes together from the browned beef so there’s no gravy packet, no additives, no Lipton Soup Mix, no preservatives – just delicious gravy!
- Affordable – you can get away with a less expensive cut of beef since it’s braised, or cooked in liquid!
Ingredients
The ingredients for beef tips with rice and brown gravy are pretty simple-you probably have most of this in your pantry.
- Beef-sirloin, tenderloin, or ribeye cut into bite size pieces (Use a sharp knife and cut the steak or roast into cubes (or ask your butcher to cube it for you!)
- Oil- vegetable oil, canola oil or olive oil to brown the beef
- All-purpose flour-this forms a roux for the brown gravy
- Beef broth or beef stock
- Onion-yellow onion, sweet yellow or white onion
- Allspice ground seasoning
- Garlic powder or garlic salt
- Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Bay leaves- whole dried bay leaves of 1 teaspoon of ground bay leaf seasoning
- Rice or egg noodles -plain white rice is the traditional side dish for beef tips, but you can use brown rice, or another type of grain like quinoa, barley or egg noodles
Some recipes use Lipton Dry Onion Soup Mix, a dry brown gravy mix, an au jus mix or a gravy packet for the gravy, but this recipe makes homemade gravy with all-natural, made from scratch ingredients.
Some recipes call for tomato paste but I don’t use it in my recipe; you can add a can if you like…just add it to the skillet when you add the beef broth or beef stock.
How to make it beef tips and gravy
Stove top method
If you make Southern Beef Tips and Rice with Gravy on the stove top, it’s pretty easy! In just a few simple steps and you’ll have a deliciously tender beefy stew to serve over prepared white rice, brown rice, noodles or mashed potatoes!
Cut the beef into bite sized pieces; add a little vegetable oil to a Dutch oven or stockpot and brown the beef in a single layer for 4-5 minutes
In the same pan, add chopped onion and saute onions for 2-3 minutes; use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits; add beef broth (enough to cover the beef tips), a little Worcestershire sauce, a little ground allspice seasoning, garlic powder and 2 bay leaves
Reduce heat to simmer, cover and allow to cook until beef tips are fork-tender. Once the beef tips are tender, if you want a thicker gravy, make a thickening slurry with 1 cup of cold water (or tap water) and 4 tablespoons of flour in a separate measuring cup or bowl.
Whisk this together with a fork until there are no lumps, then pour it into the stockpot with the beef and onions. Continue to cook on low heat until gravy thickens; Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
Meanwhile, prepare the long grain white rice according to package directions. Remove the bay leaves from the beef, serve the beef tips and brown gravy over the cooked rice!
Whichever cut of meat you decide to use, make sure it is in a steak, or “roast” form for the most tender beef tips.
Slow cooker method for beef tips and gravy
The slow cooker method for beef tips with rice is great if you’re busy. You’ll need to sear the beef tips on the stovetop first, so they’re nice and browned on all sides.
First, in a Dutch oven on medium to medium high heat, add a little oil and brown the beef tips on the stove top.
Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker, add remaining ingredients, and allow to cook on low 5-6 hours. You may have to add more liquid (water of broth) to the slow cooker in order to completely cover the meat with liquid.
How to make gravy from the slow cooker
If you use the the slow cooker method, once the beef is tender, remove 2 cups of the broth from the slow cooker and place it into a large saucepan.
In a two-cup measuring cup, add one cup of water and 4 tablespoons of flour; stir together with a fork until smooth; add this mixture to the broth that’s in the saucepan
Turn the stovetop heat to medium, and cook the gravy for about 5-6 minutes; then turn the stove to low heat and continue to cook the brown gravy – let it thicken for about 2 minutes, season to taste with salt and black pepper, then pour the gravy over the delicious Southern beef tips and rice!
Recipe tips
- Do not overcrowd the pan when searing the beef tips; work in batches if needed
- You can use chopped garlic if you don’t have garlic powder; just add it to the skillet or saucepan after the onions are tender.
- Add only HALF of the slurry to the beef mixture at first, and let it thicken; if you want a thicker brown gravy, add the remaining slurry
- If the gravy gets too thick, thin it with a little beef broth or water
- The gravy seasonings may need to be adjusted after you add the thickening slurry; taste it and add more if you think it needs it
FAQ
Beef tips are bite-sized pieces of beef that are cut from tenderloin, sirloin or ribeye.
Beef tips typically come from the most tender part of the cow- the tenderloin. Sirloin tips are tenderloin steak cut into cubes which butchers refer to as “tips.”
Stew meat is usually a tougher cut of meat from the shoulder (like chuck meat.) You can use a tougher meat because braising, or stewing method tenderizes the meat; however, you may have to cook it longer simply because it’s a tougher cut of meat.
For the most tender beef tips, sirloin is the preferred cut, but you can use inexpensive cuts of meat like a beef chuck roast, rump roast or top round steak.
Often, pre-cut “stew beef” or “cubed steak cuts” include more fat and muscle, resulting in a tougher cut of meat which requires a longer cooking time.
Serving suggestions
If you don’t have rice, beef tips and gravy go great served over egg noodles, mashed potatoes or even on a baked potato!
If you’re looking for a vegetable to go with your Southern Beef Tips and Gravy with rice, try steamed Brussels sprouts, green beans or collard greens!
This Southern beef tip recipe is a family favorite recipe that has the best flavor! Makes for a quick and delicious dinner any night of the week!
Storage and reheating
For best results, store the beef tips and gravy together in an airtight container and put the rice in a separate airtight container. Store these in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The brown gravy may thicken upon refrigeration; if so, add a little water or beef stock to it when you reheat.
You can easily reheat this on the stove top (on low to medium heat) or in the microwave. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 6 months. When ready to serve allow the beef tips and brown gravy to come to room temperature, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Southern Beef Tips with Rice and Gravy can be a one-dish meal or serve it with a side of asparagus, broccoli or steamed carrots! Your family will love this delicious, hearty made-from-scratch recipe!
Related recipes
- Classic Meatloaf
- Mississippi Pot Roast with Gravy
- Smothered Steak with Brown Gravy
- Orange Glazed Carrots
- Steamed Brussels Sprouts with Horseradish Sauce
- Authentic Natchitoches Meat Pie recipe
Southern Beef Tips with Rice and Brown Gravy
Equipment
- Dutch oven – or –
- Slow Cooker
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 lbs sirloin or chuck roast , cubed (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1¼ cup chopped sweet yellow onion
- 2 cups beef broth see recipe notes
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder see recipe notes
- 2 dried bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- salt and pepper , to taste
- prepared rice
- ½ cup water , for thickening slurry
- 4 tablespoons flour , for thickening slurry
Instructions
- Cut sirloin steaks into 1/4 inch cubes; lightly salt and pepper2 lbs sirloin or chuck roast
- In a large Dutch oven on medium high heat, add oil; once oil is hot; add beef to pan in a single layer (if possible);2 tablespoons oil, 2 lbs sirloin or chuck roast
- Lighly brown beef cubes on all sides; add chopped onion; cook on medium heat for 2 minutes, until onions are tender; (if you're using fresh or prepared minced garlic, add it to the pan after the onions have cooked a few minutes);1¼ cup chopped sweet yellow onion
- Add beef broth (use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits). Make sure you add enough liquid to cover the meat. Add bay leaves, Worcestershire, allspice and garlic powder; Cover, reduce heat to simmer and allow to cook until fork-tender (see notes)2 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 dried bay leaves, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Once beef is fork-tender, make a slurry (in a 2 cup measuring cup-combine 1 cup water and 4 tablespoons of flour; stir well with a fork until there are no lumps); add half of the slurry to beef mixture- See Notes½ cup water, 4 tablespoons flour
- Season to taste; add salt and peppersalt and pepper
- Prepare rice according to package instructions; remove bay leaves from beef tips; Plate rice and serve beef tips and gravy over riceprepared rice
These beef tips with rice and gravy came out perfect! My go-to recipe from now on! Thank you!
I love beef tips and rice. It really is one of the best comfort foods ever!