Tender Slow Cooker Steak Bites
When you’re craving quality red meat without cooking a whole roast, these tender steak bites won’t disappoint! Everything goes straight into the slow cooker, resulting in delicious beef with a rich, flavorful sauce. It couldn’t be easier to prep—just set it and forget it until dinnertime!

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What’s To Love About This Recipe
- Make this your go-to recipe when you need an easy-prep meal. Everything goes straight into the slow cooker!
- The slow cooker produces the best comfort food with minimal effort. Making rich, savory sauces can be intimidating on the stovetop, but this method makes it foolproof.
- This might be your most straightforward meal prep yet! The leftovers reheat well and are just as tender.
- This main dish is a flexible choice for many serving options. Serve over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice, or choose a low-carb option by serving over cauliflower rice or other veggies.
- It’s easy to adjust the seasoning, add different herbs, or spice it up a bit!
Ingredients Needed
- Beef or bison stew meat – Both of these are budget-friendly options and ideal for slow cooking. Stew meat comes pre-cut from tougher cuts like chuck roast but becomes super tender while it cooks. Pre-cut stew meat saves you prep time; however, you can also buy a roast and cut it yourself.
- Flour – Use all-purpose flour to create a dredge that provides some thickness to the sauce and helps the seasoning stick to the stew meat. You can also use gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Pot roast seasoning or Steak seasoning – I love my homemade seasoning blends and generally have an extra batch or two mixed up already. You can use a homemade or store-bought option – whatever works for you!
- Sweet onion – Chop a small sweet onion to add flavor and texture to the dish.
- Jarred minced garlic – Add garlic for a richer flavor.
- Butter – Butter keeps the sauce decadent and smooth.
- Beef broth – Finally, add beef broth to create the base for the savory sauce.
How To Make Slow Cooker Steak Bites
- Place beef in the slow cooker and toss with flour and seasoning to coat evenly.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or noodles and top with fresh chopped parsley.
Pro Tips
- If you use a roast, cut the meat into uniform-size pieces for even cooking. You can also buy pre-cut stew meat to save time.
- You do not need to sear the steak bites before slow-cooking.
- For extra tender steak bites, cook on low. If you are short on time, use high heat, but know that the meat might not be quite as tender.
- Save time by prepping ahead! Combine all ingredients (except broth) in a freezer baggie and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 3 months. Dump the ingredients into the slow cooker, add the broth, and start cooking!
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- For different steak options, use:
- Chuck roast – This tougher meat will be the best choice for slow cooking. Cut it into bite-sized pieces and cook low and slow for maximum tenderness.
- Sirloin – This will be tender and leaner but often more expensive.
- Bison stew meat – This is an even leaner choice with a slightly gamier flavor. It has a richer taste than beef, but take care not to overcook it since it is lower in fat.
- Change up the seasoning with:
- Homemade pot roast seasoning (my top recommendation) or Easy Homemade Steak Seasoning
- Smoked paprika, thyme, or rosemary for more flavor
- Extra pepper if you like a peppery flavor
- A pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes for spicy heat
- If the sauce is too thin at the end, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Stir the mixture into the slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 15 minutes.
- Add in extra veggies such as potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, or green beans for a complete meal.
How To Serve Slow Cooker Steak Bites
Serve steak bites over mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or rice. You won’t want to let any of the gravy-like sauce go to waste! If you’re looking for a low-carb choice, go for mashed cauliflower or cauli-rice to soak up the flavor.
Make a complete meal by serving steak bites with Slow Cooker Roasted Fall Vegetables, garlic bread, or a fresh side salad.
Try something new with the leftovers! These would also make delicious steak bite sliders with horseradish mayo, or you could use them for a hearty beef soup. Toss the steak bites with veggies into a stir fry for another creative option!
Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing is not generally recommended to maintain the best results, but if needed, you can freeze individual servings for up to 3 months to reheat later.
When you’re ready to enjoy the leftovers, reheat them on the stovetop with a splash of broth. If using the microwave, reheat in short intervals to prevent overcooking, resulting in toughened meat.
Tender Slow Cooker Steak Bites
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 pound beef or bison stew meat
- 2 teaspoons flour can be gluten-free
- 2 tablespoons pot roast seasoning or steak seasoning homemade or store-bought
- 1 small sweet onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon jarred minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup beef broth
Instructions
- Place beef in slow cooker and toss with flour and seasoning to coat evenly
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours
- Serve over mashed potatoes or noodles and top with fresh chopped parsley
Notes
- Store leftover steak bites in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat on the stovetop with a splash of broth. If you use the microwave, reheat in short intervals to prevent overcooking.
- Cut the meat into uniform-size pieces for even cooking or buy pre-cut stew meat.
- For the most tender results, cook on low. If you are short on time, use high heat (the meat might not be quite as tender).
- Prep ahead by combining all ingredients (except broth) in a freezer baggie and storing in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Add all contents of the bag to the slow cooker, then broth, and cook as directed.