Beef tips can make for a delicious protein-packed meal. However if not prepared properly, they may turn out chewy and tough. The good news is there are several easy methods you can use to help transform beef tips into succulent, melt-in-your-mouth morsels.
In this comprehensive guide, I will share 10 foolproof tips and techniques to help you get beef tips tender each and every time.
Choose the Right Cut
Opting for naturally tender cuts of beef is the first step Top round, sirloin tip, tenderloin, and flank steak are all great choices They have less connective tissue and fat, allowing them to cook up tender more easily.
Tenderize the Meat
To help break down those tough muscle fibers, use a meat mallet or tenderizer tool. Gently pounding the beef helps make it more tender and easier to chew.
Marinate
Letting beef tips soak in a marinade is one of the easiest ways to impart flavor and moisture. The acidic ingredients also act as a natural tenderizer. Try marinating for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight for best results.
Cook Low and Slow
Braising, stewing or slow cooking beef tips allows collagen to transform into moisture-laden gelatin The low gentle heat tenderizes while keeping beef succulent.
Use Moist Heat
Methods like braising, stewing or slow cooking involve cooking the beef in flavorful liquid. This steam-like environment hydrates and tenderizes the meat.
Slice Against the Grain
Cutting across the muscle fibers shortens them, making beef tips easier to chew. Always remember to slice against the grain.
Rest the Meat
Letting beef tips rest after cooking allows juices to redistribute evenly throughout. This results in a more moist and tender texture.
Avoid Overcooking
It’s crucial to not overcook beef tips, as this can toughen the meat. Use a meat thermometer and stop cooking at medium doneness.
Cut Smaller Pieces
When beef is cut into bite-sized pieces, it cooks more quickly and evenly. This prevents overcooking while still allowing beef to become fork tender.
Use Tenderizing Enzymes
Marinades made with kiwi, papaya, pineapple or other foods containing proteolytic enzymes can further help break down proteins.
Dry Rub
A salt, sugar and spice blend rubbed onto beef tips penetrates deep into the meat helping to dissolve muscle fibers.
Sear First
Browning beef tips before braising caramelizes the exterior, adds flavor, and seals in the natural juices.
Add Acidic Ingredients
Things like vinegar, wine, tomatoes, citrus juice help tenderize beef through the process of denaturation. A little goes a long way.
Use Velveting Technique
Coating beef tips in a velveting marinade of cornstarch, egg whites, oil, and wine before cooking allows them to absorb less liquid and cook up tender.
Opt for Stir-Fry
Stir-frying over high heat cooks beef tips quickly while keeping them succulent. Just remember to slice across the grain and don’t overcook.
Employ Pressure Cooking
A pressure cooker’s high temperature steam forces moisture deep into meat collagen, transforming it into gelatin and dramatically tenderizing beef.
Use a Meat Tenderizer Tool
Special tools with razor-sharp blades slice through the tough connective tissues in beef tips, allowing seasonings to penetrate deeper as well.
Why This Recipe Works
Delicious, Delicious, Delicious — Perhaps you remember my mom’s recipe for Beef on Rice? (If you aren’t familiar with it, don’t worry, there’s plenty of time to acquaint yourself.) Well this is like that only better (shhhh, keep that to yourself!). It’s SO GOOD! It’s tender, it’s juicy, and it’s just the most perfect comfort food dish.
Instant Pot — Remember your Instant Pot? That device we all had to have and then I feel like it just got put in the pantry never to be thought of again? Well, we’re making a comeback people because this is one of my favorite kitchen appliances! And this recipe is perfect for it! So easy! Little mess. What else could you ask for?
Versatile Add-ins — I added a couple extra ingredients to this recipe (mushrooms, garlic, worcestershire) but you can skip them if you want and this recipe will be almost exactly like the Beef on Rice except adapted for the Instant Pot. Or you can double the mushrooms, or the garlic, or add whatever you like to this dish. It’s versatile like that.
Family friendly — My kids, my husband, my in-laws, my cousins, my neighbors — there isn’t a person on this planet that has tried these Instant Pot Beef Tips and not loved loved loved them. If you’re in a pinch for dinner THIS is what you make.
- Minced garlic — Guys, I use the garlic in a jar. It’s okay. It’s easy, it’s garlic, and it tastes just fine. But if you want to cut or mince yourself, that’s okay too.
- Yellow onion — I always use a yellow (or white onion in a pinch) because the flavors are more mild than that of a red onion.
- Oil — My go-to is almost always olive oil but you can also use vegetable oil or another oil of your choice.
- Chopped beef — For this Instant Pot Beef Tips I always choose a stew meat or top sirloin and then cut it into 1-inch pieces.
- Beef broth — Use beef broth in this dish to enhance the beef flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce — You’ll want to use this for its amazing flavor that goes so well with beef tips.
- Sliced mushrooms — These are totally optional, but totally worth it!
- Italian blend seasoning — I use an Italian blend I got from my grocery store but you can also use Herbs de provence.
- Salt and pepper — A dash of this a dash of that — add the amount of salt and pepper that you like in this dinner.
- Cold water and cornstarch — Use these two ingredients to make a slurry that makes the gravy thicker at the end of cooking.
- Cooked white or brown rice OR mashed potatoes OR cooked egg noodles — Or maybe all three? Just kidding. But, these beef tips are best served over one of the above, trust me!
- Get your pressure cooker out and set it to SAUTE. Next, add the oil, onions, and garlic and stir until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, this will take about 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add the beef chunks and sear those for 1 minute or so in the pot. To that, add the beef broth, worcestershire, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper and stir it all up to combine.
- Cover the Instant Pot and set to PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL, then turn the valve to the SEAL position, and set the time for 35 minutes.
- When the time is up, let the pressure naturally release (do nothing) for 10 minutes. Then, quick release (turn the valve to VENT). Once the float valve has dropped, remove the lid and set the pot to SOUP.
- When it starts to boil, stir together some water and corn starch, then stir this cornstarch slurry into the pot, letting the gravy thicken.
- Once the gravy thickens, taste it and add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles.
I admit, the term “beef tips” is kind of nebulous when you think about it, isn’t it? What constitutes the tip of some beef anyway? Well, I was curious myself so I did a little digging. It turns out that beef tips are not made from one specific cut of meat but rather can come from a variety of cuts. Sirloin, chuck roast, or another tougher, fattier section of meat is used. The butcher will likely have already cubed these up at your grocery store and labeled them as “stew meat” or “beef tips.” Any variety will work in this recipe as you’ll cook it long enough to tenderize the meat.
What to Serve with Instant Pot Beef Tips
As you know, my mom’s original recipe for Beef ON Rice was just that — beef tips slow cooked all day and with a to-die-for gravy served ON top of rice. I still like beef tips served this way but other options include:
- Using brown rice or a wild rice mix for a different taste and texture to your meal.
- Using mashed potatoes as your base.
- Egg noodles are a perfect complement to beef tips, I promise you’ll enjoy the heck out of noodles and beef together.
- Polenta or grits — something you probably didn’t think about but just as delicious to layer under the beef tips.
- Instead of adding beef tips on top of a starch, you could add something like roasted potatoes on the side.
- For a carb-free meal, consider adding a salad or roasted vegetable on the side.
- You might also enjoy these beef tips over any of the above and with a side of dinner rolls for dipping in all of that wonderful gravy.
- Braised red cabbage is another veggie side that is just screaming to be served with beef tips.
- Serve this beef with garlic bread for an out-of-this-world, delicious dish.
THE BEST BEEF TIPS & GRAVY | A SOUTHERN COMFORT CLASSIC RECIPE | TENDER & FLAVORFUL | NO LIPTON
FAQ
How to tenderize beef tips?
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Food Networkhttps://www.foodnetwork.comHow to Tenderize Steak 7 Ways – Food NetworkOct 18, 2022 — Using a meat mallet (or kitchen mallet) to pound steaks helps soften and tenderize the meat. Simply place the meat in between pieces of plastic wrap…
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Reddit · r/Cookinghttps://www.reddit.comBasic Cooking Tips: How To Tenderize ANY Meat! : r/CookingMay 8, 2019
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RecipeTin Eatshttps://www.recipetineats.comTenderise beef for stir fries (Velveting Beef) – RecipeTin EatsFeb 23, 2019 — How to tenderise beef – easily! There are a few methods, but this is the easiest way: Sprinkle 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carbonate soda) on 250g / 8oz…
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Quorahttps://www.quora.comHow to make steak tips tender – QuoraOct 28, 2016 — First is using a tool to make it tender either by pulverizing it or piercing it to break up the muscle fibers. … Here are a few tricks: Marinate:
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The Kitchnhttps://www.thekitchn.com6 Ways to Tenderize a Tough Cut of Meat – The Kitchn* How to Tenderize a Tough Cut of Meat. Pound it out. Use salt. Use an acidic marinade. Use kiwi, papaya, or pineapple. Score it. Slow cook it. * Our Favorite …
How do you make beef so soft and tender?
- Sprinkle 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carbonate soda) on 250g / 8oz sliced economical beef cuts.
- Toss with fingers, leave for 30 minutes.
- Rinse, pat off excess water.
- Proceed with stir fry recipe. It can be marinated with wet or dry seasonings, or cooked plain.
Why are my beef tips tough?
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Tough cuts need time:Beef tips, like stewing beef, are tougher cuts that require long, slow cooking to break down the collagen and connective tissue, turning it into gelatin and making the meat more tender.
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Overcooking is a problem:While slow cooking is essential, overcooking can make the meat dry and tough.
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Don’t overfill the pot:If you’re cooking in a slow cooker, be mindful of how much liquid you add, as extra liquid can slow down the cooking process and potentially make the meat tougher.
How do you make beef tips less chewy?
- Marinate Your Meat: Especially for leaner cuts, a good marinade can break down tough fibers. …
- Tenderize with Tools: Before cooking, use a meat mallet to tenderize your steak. …
- Low and Slow: For certain cuts, it’s better to cook them at a lower temperature for a longer time.
How do I make beef tips tender?
Choose the right cut of beef for tender beef tips. Opt for tender cuts such as sirloin, tenderloin, or flank steak. To tenderize the meat, use a meat mallet or a meat tenderizer tool to break down the muscle fibers and connective tissues.
What is a beef tip?
Let’s get into everything you need to know to NAIL it! Beef “tips” are smaller cuts of meat that are leftover from breaking down any of the larger, more tender sections. For example, a Top Sirloin is a large, tender cut of meat. A Sirloin Tip is an outer ‘scrap’ from that particular section.
How do you make beef tips tender in a slow cooker?
Cooking beef tips at low temperatures in a slow cooker or braising pot for a longer time allows the collagen in the meat to break down, resulting in incredibly tender beef.
How do you make beef tenderloin more tender?
To make beef tenderloin more tender, you can use a meat mallet or a meat tenderizer tool to break down the muscle fibers and connective tissues. This will result in more tender beef tips. Opt for tender cuts such as sirloin, tenderloin, or flank steak, which are known for their tenderness. 3. Marinate the beef:
Which cut of meat is best for beef tips?
Sirloin or Tenderloin cuts are best for making beef tips on the stove top as they don’t require as much low and slow cooking to render down and tenderize. Tender Cuts of Meat: Sirloin, Flank, Ribeye, Tenderloin. Tougher Cuts of Meat: Chuck Roast, Rump Roast, Brisket. (Best suited for slow cooking.)
What cut of beef should I use for stew beef tips?
For tender beef tips, I recommend using tips from tender cuts like sirloin. However, if you’re in a pinch, lean stew beef will also work. Here’s what you’ll need: Lean Stew Beef or Beef Tips, Salt and Pepper, Onion, and Minced Garlic.