How Long Do Beef Tips Take to Cook to Perfection?

Beef tips, also known as beef cubes or stew meat, make for a delicious and comforting meal when cooked properly. But exactly how long should you cook beef tips to achieve tender, melt-in-your-mouth pieces? Here’s a detailed guide to ensuring your beef tips turn out perfectly cooked every time

What Are Beef Tips?

Beef tips refer to small, bite-sized pieces of beef that are usually cut from larger roasts. They tend to come from more tender cuts of beef like the sirloin or tenderloin. When cut into cubes and cooked slowly with moisture, beef tips become very tender and flavorful.

Some other names for beef tips include:

• Beef stew meat
• Beef cubes
• Braising steak
• Stew beef

While you can find packaged “beef tips” at the grocery store, you can also easily make them yourself by cutting beef sirloin or tenderloin into 1-inch pieces This gives you more control over the size and quality of the meat.

Why Cooking Time Varies for Beef Tips

Cooking time can vary quite a bit for beef tips depending on a few factors:

• Cut of meat – Tougher cuts like chuck or round will take longer than tenderloin or sirloin.
• Size of cubes – Smaller 1-inch cubes will cook faster than larger pieces.
• Cooking method – The moist heat of braising or stewing cooks beef tips faster than roasting or grilling alone.
• Cooking temperature – Lower oven temperatures around 300°F are ideal for braising tough cuts into tender beef tips.

For the most tender beef tips, choosing a tender cut of beef and cutting it into uniform 1-inch cubes is key. This exposes more surface area to heat and moisture for even cooking.

How Long to Cook Beef Tips on the Stove

When making beef tips in a skillet on the stovetop, cooking time will take about:

• 2-3 hours on a simmer after searing the beef cubes.

Here is a simple stovetop beef tips recipe:

1. Cut beef into 1-inch cubes and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Working in batches, sear beef cubes until browned on all sides.
3. Remove beef from skillet and set aside.
4. Add onions, garlic, broth, and seasonings to skillet. Simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Return seared beef cubes and any juices to skillet. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2-3 hours, until beef is very tender when pierced with a fork.
6. If desired, thicken cooking juices with a slurry of cornstarch and water for gravy.

The gentle simmer allows the beef to cook slowly while the broth keeps it moist and tender. Check occasionally to ensure the beef is covered in liquid, adding more broth as needed.

How Long for Beef Tips in a Slow Cooker

For beef tips cooked in a slow cooker, cook time will be:

• 6-8 hours on low
• 3-4 hours on high

The moist, low heat environment of the slow cooker helps break down tough cuts until the beef tips are fall-apart tender after hours of slow braising.

To cook beef tips in the slow cooker:

1. Cut beef into 1-inch cubes and pat dry. Quickly sear beef in a skillet on all sides.
2. Place seared beef cubes in slow cooker and add onions, broth, seasonings.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
4. If needed, thicken cooking juices at the end with a cornstarch slurry.

How Long to Cook Beef Tips in the Oven

For roasted beef tips cooked uncovered in the oven, cooking time will be:

• 2-3 hours at 300°F

To cook beef tips in the oven:

1. Cut beef into 1-inch cubes and pat dry. Quickly sear all sides in a skillet until browned.
2. Place seared beef cubes in a Dutch oven or oven-safe pot along with onions, broth, seasonings.
3. Cover pot and cook in 300°F oven for 2-3 hours, until fork tender.
4. Uncover, thicken cooking juices if desired, and serve beef tips.

The Dutch oven retains moisture so the beef can braise slowly in the oven, resulting in succulent, tender pieces of beef.

How Long to Cook Beef Tips in Instant Pot

One of the fastest ways to cook beef tips is in an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. Cooking time will only take:

• 15-20 minutes at high pressure

To cook beef tips in Instant Pot:

1. Cut beef into 1-inch cubes and quickly sear on all sides in a skillet.
2. Add seared beef, onions, broth, seasonings to Instant Pot.
3. Pressure cook on high for 15-20 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally.
4. Thicken cooking juices if desired before serving tender beef tips.

The high pressure environment speeds up the breakdown of the beef so it becomes extremely tender in a fraction of the traditional cooking time.

Doneness Tests for Beef Tips

When following any beef tips recipe, these tests can help determine when they’re done:

• Temperature – Use a meat thermometer to check for 145°F for medium-rare doneness.
• Fork tender – Beef tips should pierce easily with a fork when done.
• Internal color – Slice a cube in half to check the internal color matches your desired doneness.

Allow the beef tips to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute evenly.

Cooking Times Summary

To summarize, these are general guidelines for how long to cook beef tips to perfection:

• Stovetop simmer: 2-3 hours
• Slow cooker low: 6-8 hours
• Slow cooker high: 3-4 hours
• Oven at 300°F: 2-3 hours
• Instant Pot: 15-20 minutes

The most important thing is to let your beef tips cook low and slow in moist heat until fork tender. With the right cut of meat and cooking technique, you’ll be rewarded with tender beef bathed in rich, delicious gravy every time.

Serving Suggestions for Beef Tips

Once your beef tips are cooked to tender perfection, try serving them:

• Over mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta
• With roasted vegetables like carrots or brussels sprouts
• On top of egg noodles or buttery mashed potatoes
• Mixed into a hearty beef stew
• Stuffed into sandwiches or French bread
• As the protein in beef bourguignon or beef stroganoff

With so many possibilities, beef tips are sure to give you and your family delicious, budget-friendly meals to enjoy all week long. Dig into this classic comfort food soon and savor just how tasty beef can be when cooked low and slow.