No Peek Beef Tips | Cookies & Cups

By: Shelly
Posted: Oct 28, 2024

No peek beef tips are a cozy dinner made with juicy cubed beef simmered for hours in a savory mushroom gravy. Add everything to the slow cooker, and do your best not to peek!

Looking for more cozy dinner ideas to make in the crock pot? Try this creamy slow cooker mac and cheese, next.

No peek beef tips and gravy served over mashed potatoes on a white plate next to a fork, with a second plate of beef tips in the background.

Why You’ll Love These No Peek Beef Tips

Like my Instant Pot cubed beef and my original saucy slow cooker beef tips, these savory no peek beef tips are the BEST comfort food served over a bed of buttery mashed potatoes. This recipe is packed with rich, beefy flavor that’s perfect for chilly days! Here’s why you’ll want to make these crock pot beef tips all winter long:

Delicious flavor. These no peek beef tips come out fall-apart-tender and drenched in a rich and creamy, beefy mushroom gravy.
Made in the slow cooker. I’ll admit, making this recipe in the slow cooker makes it much easier not to peek. Plus, there’s no need to run the oven for hours to slow-roast the beef, and you can prep your ingredients the night before, or in the morning, and leave the cooker to do its thing.
Hands-free. After a quick sear on the stovetop, you’ll add the beef and gravy ingredients to the slow cooker or crock pot. Walk away, and return hours later to the sauciest beef dinner.
Easy ingredients. All you need is 6 ingredients and some simple seasonings. I use condensed cream of mushroom soup and onion soup mix as an easy shortcut to packing loads of flavor into the beef.

Ingredients for no peek beef tips with text labels overlaying each ingredient.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You need about 6 ingredients to make this easy no peek beef tips recipe. I’ve included some notes below. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list with the full recipe details.

Cubed Beef – Choose a good stew beef. My favorite is chuck roast. Other good cuts for stewing are top round steak (London Broil), short ribs, or brisket (make sure to buy the fattier “point cut”). You’ll need to cut the beef into 1” cubes or buy it pre-cubed from the store.
Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Olive Oil – Or another mild-flavored cooking oil, like avocado or canola oil, for searing.
Onion Soup Mix – Choose your favorite brand of beefy onion soup mix.
Cream of Mushroom Soup – I use a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup.
Beef Broth – You can substitute chicken broth in a pinch, though the flavor won’t be as rich.

Close up of no peek beef tips and gravy served over mashed potatoes on a white plate.

How to Make No Peek Beef Tips

The secret to this crock pot recipe is in the name: No peeking! Once your beef tips and ingredients are in the slow cooker, do your best to not lift the lid until the cooking time is up. It’s the most delicious trust exercise ever.

Here are the easy steps, and you’ll find the printable recipe instructions in the recipe card after the post.

Seasoned cubed beef on a large round plate. — Season the cubed beef.

Season and sear the beef. Start by rubbing the beef cubes all over with seasonings. Then, sear the beef in a hot skillet with oil until the pieces are browned on all sides. You may need to do this in batches. Transfer the seared beef to the slow cooker.

Beef broth being poured over beef tips combined with cream of mushroom soup and seasonings in the crock pot. — Add everything to the crock pot.

Assemble. Now, add the onion soup mix and mushroom soup to the slow cooker, and pour in the beef broth. Give the contents a good stir.
Cook. Cover and cook the beef tips on Low for 8 hours, or on High for 4 hours. Whip up a batch of fluffy potatoes when you’re ready to serve and enjoy. See further in the post for more serving ideas.

Close up of a ladle lifting a large scoop of no peek beef tips from a crock pot.

Recipe Tips

Sear the beef in a single layer. This is the key to beef that’s seared, and not steamed. You may need to brown the beef in two batches depending on the size of your pan. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker before starting the next batch.
Don’t peek! It’s worth repeating, and it’s the number one rule when cooking these juicy beef tips in the slow cooker. Resist the temptation to peek under the lid while the beef is simmering. All the steam trapped inside is what makes the meat extra melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Add wine. For another layer of flavor, substitute 1 cup of the beef broth with dry red wine, like Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon.
Make it creamy. For an extra-rich sauce, stir in a splash of heavy cream or a dollop of cream cheese at the end of cooking, once the slow cooker is switched off.

Serving Suggestions

My favorite way to serve my no peek beef tips is over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes drenched in spoonfuls of mushroom gravy. There’s nothing more comforting on a cold winter evening! You can also combine the beef tips and sauce with egg noodles for a dinner that’s similar to beef stroganoff, or serve them with rice or risotto. Add a side of asparagus or roasted carrots, and beer bread or biscuits for sopping up the leftover gravy.

Close up of a fork resting next to mashed potatoes topped with beef tips and gravy on a white plate.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Refrigerate. Store any leftover beef tips and gravy in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheat. Warm the beef and sauce in a skillet on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s hot throughout.
Freeze. Store any leftovers in a freezer bag or container and freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw the beef in the fridge before reheating and serving.

Description

No peek beef tips are a cozy dinner made with tender cubed beef simmered for hours in a savory mushroom gravy. Add everything to the slow cooker and do your best not to peek!

2 pounds stew beef, cubed (you can purchase pre-cubed beef or cube your own. I prefer chuck roast)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 packet beefy onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 cups beef broth

Season the beef with sea salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Preheat a large, heavy-bottomed pan to medium-high heat.
Add the oil to the pan and allow it to heat for about 30 seconds.
Add the beef to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow the cubes to brown on all sides. Do your best to arrange the beef in a single layer. If the pan is not big enough to do so, brown half in one batch and transfer it to the slow cooker before browning the other half.
Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
Add the soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, and beef broth and stir to combine.
Close the slow cooker and set it to cook on low heat for 8 hours. If you are short on time, you can set the slow cooker to cook on high heat for 4 hours instead.
Serve over mashed potatoes.