Easy Braising Steak With Gravy {in Slow Cooker!}
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Slow Cooker Braising Steak is the perfect way to turn an inexpensive cut of tough meat into a melt in your mouth steak dinner by the fire on a cold evening.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Tender and flavorful: This slow cooker method is what takes this tough cut of braised steak to the next level.
- Affordable: You can eat steak and stay on your budget when you buy an affordable cut like braising steak.
- Easy: Once the ingredients are placed in the crock pot, it is hands-off cooking for the next 4-6 hours while the slow cooker works its magic.
- Comfort food: The tender meat and rich gravy paired with creamy polenta is the perfect comfort food in my mind.
- Make ahead and freeze: This slow cooker steak recipe is the perfect meal to make ahead and freeze in portions for later in the week or month.
If you’ve got a taste for beef after trying this yummy steak dish, consider making one of the following recipes: Beef Udon Stir Fry, Simple Slow Cooker Chili Con Carne, Garlic Bread Bruschetta
What is braised steak?
Braised steak is when you cook a tough cut of meat using the “Braising” method of cooking to create a tender steak meal.
The braising cooking method has two steps. The first step is to sear the meat over a high heat to caramelize it and seal in the juices and flavor. The second step is to place it in a closed container with liquid to cook slowly for the remainder of the cooking time, creating a tender meat while also infusing it with the flavor of the liquid.
Normally the braising process is performed with an inexpensive tough cut of meat like chuck, shoulder, or blade.
Ingredients
The main ingredients that make this Slow Cooker Braising Steak recipe fantastic are the following:
Beef Braising Steak
I make this slow cooker braising steak with casserole steak because I like that it is a leaner, healthier choice.
Carrots
Carrots are my preferred vegetable in this dish due to my love of cooked carrots. They also lend an extra bit of sweetness to the dish.
Fresh Thyme
I love the fresh aroma that Thyme gives to this dish. It really takes it up a level.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/Adaptations
Vegetables: If you don’t like carrots, consider adding other veggies you would typically add to beef stew. Potatoes, celery, and peas are great alternatives.
Steak you use: chuck roast, casserole steak, or beef short ribs can all be used to make this braising steak recipe.
Herbs: Dried Thyme will also work in this dish. Use about 1/3 less dried thyme than fresh thyme. You can also swap Thyme out for Rosemary or other fresh herbs.
Additional Cooking Methods
Slow cooker
If you’re wondering, “How to cook braising steak in a slow cooker?” you can follow the steps below. As a quick summary for braising steaks, you’ll need to sear beef in a pan first. Then, pan-fry the veggies and create the gravy. Add the components to a slow cooker and cook on high for about five hours to create braising steak.
Oven
Here’s how to cook braising steak in oven. Follow the same steps above to sear the beef and create the gravy. Then, add the ingredients to a pan with a lid (like a Dutch oven or a casserole dish) and cook at 275°F/135°C. Cook the steak for about two hours.
Instant pot
The instant pot method is similar to cooking the steak in a slow cooker. Except, you will sear the beef, fry the veg, and create the gravy all in the instant pot. Once prepped, cook the braising steak on the manual setting for about 45 minutes.
How to make slow cooker braising steak
* Allow the braising steak to come to room temperature and season with salt and pepper on each side.
1. In a stainless steel pan, increase the heat to high and allow the pan to preheat. Add the rapeseed oil and braising steak into the pan. Fry each side for 2 minutes to achieve a nice sear (Image 1).
2. Set aside, then use a splash of beef stock to deglaze the pan. Add the onion and carrots. Reduce the heat to medium/low and season with salt and pepper and then add the tomato puree and the red wine vinegar (Image 2).
3. Fry for around 5 minutes, adding the garlic and flour to fry for a further minute (Image 3).
4. Pour all of the stock into the pan and stir to combine (Image 4).
5. Add the braising steak to the slow cooker (Image 5).
6. Then pour the mixture into your slow cooker, along with the steak and thyme sprigs.
7. Slow cook for 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low (Image 7).
8. Before serving, break up the braising steak with a fork, then serve over polenta or mashed potatoes (Image 8).
Pair this yummy braising steak with a cooked veggie dish for a more nutritious meal. Here are a few ideas: The BEST Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes, Sauteed Broccoli, or Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque.
Tips for the best result
- Room temperature meat: Make sure the meat is room temperature before you sear it. This extra step helps you create more evenly cooked, juicer meat.
- Season before searing: Season your steak with salt and pepper before adding it to the frying pan.
- Sear the meat: Don’t skip searing the meat. It helps the steak retain moisture and adds flavor.
- Deglaze the pan: Don’t leave behind those precious brown bits on the bottom of the fry pan. They add loads of delicious flavor to your gravy.
- Just enough liquid to cover 1/2 of the meat, refill as needed: Braising is not boiling. Only add the liquid half-way up your meat. Otherwise the meat will actually dry out. Add more liquid as needed.
- Low and slow: This is not a quick cooking meal. Be sure to give the braising steak all the time it needs in the slow cooker to become tender and delicious.
- Let it be: Don’t open the lid and check because you will allow the heat and steam to escape and the meat will take longer to cook and could dry out.
- Let it rest: Just like any piece of meat, you need to let it rest around 10 minutes before slicing or serving.
- Tend to the sauce: You want GRAVY with your braised meat, not just a thin sauce. So once the meat is removed, strain it, thicken it, and season it before you serve it over the meat.
Storage and Reheat Instructions
Refrigerator: Once cooled, store the steak in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezer: You can also freeze the steak for up to three months.
Reheat: From the refrigerator, reheat each portion by microwave. Reheat the steak in one minute intervals until it’s heated through. To reheat from frozen, let the steak defrost overnight in the fridge. Then, reheat it on the stove until heated through.
FAQs
If you don’t have braising steak on hand, you can use chuck roast or short ribs. You can also use pork chops or pork shoulder.
There are a few differences between braised beef and stew meat. For one, the cut of meat you use. Braising is typically meant for cheaper, tough cuts as the long cook time and low temp help tenderize them. Additionally, stew beef is cooked in more liquid and typically includes cubed or sliced beef pieces. Braised beef is made with bigger pieces of meat.
If you have tough braising steak, you may not have cooked it long enough or at a low enough temperature. The best way to cook braising steak is at a low temperature in a slow cooker for about five hours. This method will lead to juicy, tender steak bits.
No, braising is not the same as slow cooking. Braising involves cooking the protein at a high temp with oil first. Then, it must cook at a lower temperature (like this braising steak dish) with a small amount of liquid (like beef broth). Slow cooking is simply cooking food over low heat for a long period.
Yes and no. You’re meant to braise meat longer at a low temperature. However, you can overcook a braised recipe, leaving it dry and inedible.
You need to create braising steak with the lid on. Since the meat is not fully submerged, it’s necessary to create steam to help cook the meat above the liquid. This applies even when braising steak in the oven. If you don’t have a lid for your oven dish, you can use a foil cover to help create steam.
The temp will vary depending on the recipe you use for how to cook braising steak in the oven. Most recommend braising steak in the oven between 275F and 300F. However, some chefs recommend braising steak at 200F.
Satisfy any cravings for comforting meals ; Beef Keema (Mince Curry), Simple Pork Curry with Coconut Milk, Easy Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
If you tried this Tender Braising Steak with Gravy recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Easy Braising Steak With Gravy
Ingredients
- 400 g beef braising steak (£3.50)
- 1 tbsp tomato purée (£0.60/6)=(£0.10)
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (£0.39)
- 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped (£0.10)
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced (£0.14)
- 10 g fresh thyme sprigs (£0.55)
Cupboard essentials
- 300 ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp flour
- Salt & Pepper
Method
- Allow the braising steak to come to room temperature and season with salt and pepper on each side.
- In a stainless steel pan, increase the heat to high and allow the pan to preheat. Add the rapeseed oil and braising steak into the pan. Fry each side for 2 minutes to achieve a nice sear.
- Set the steak aside, then use a splash of beef stock to deglaze the pan. Add the onions and carrots. Reduce the heat to medium/low and season with salt and pepper. Fry for around 5 minutes, adding the tomato puree half way through, followed by the red wine vinegar.
- Next, add the garlic and flour to the pan and fry for another minute.
- Pour all of the stock into the pan and stir to combine. Then pour the mixture into your slow cooker, along with the braising steak and thyme sprigs. Slow cook for 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
Notes
- Season braising steak just before searing to avoid moisture loss.
- Bring the beef to room temperature before searing for even cooking and juicier results.
- Cook braising steak low and slow for optimal tenderness, avoiding overcooking.
Nutrition
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