Beef Tips and rice are a simple, but delicious comfort food. Made with tender beef chunks cooked in a rich brown gravy these satisfy a whole household.
I changed my typical recipe and converted it to Instant Pot Beef Tips. So you get a faster cook time, but same outstanding flavor. You’ll love this recipe for many reasons - it’s damn good, it’s cheap, and can feed a full house.
The instant pot means you can enjoy beef tips and rice on a weeknight even after a long day of work.
Beats and Eats (music that pairs well with Beef Tips and Rice)
A good beef tips recipe is feel good food requiring feel good soul music. The 80s era was full of hidden gems and/or unsung voices especially female soul/r&b artists. Stephanie Mills is at or near the top of that list. Her "Something In The Way You Make Me Feel" is a classic and is likely to put you in open and positive frame of mind after a listen.
BEEF TIPS AND RICE INGREDIENTS
- Beef Sirloin Steak
- Cajun Seasoning - any store bought will do but make your own with paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, dried thyme, dried oregano
- Fresh Thyme
- Haitian Epis Seasoning Base
- Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Red Wine
- Beef Stock
- Worcestershire sauce
- Bay Leaf
- Flour - for the roux
- Butter or oil
- Rice
INSTANT POT BEEF TIPS COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Make the roux
Start with a 2:1 ratio flour to fat and mix right in the skillet until smooth and well blended. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and place skillet in the oven.
Check the roux after about 20 minutes. Stir as necessary and bake until desired color. I prefer a darker chocolate color which will require a bit more time.
Step 2: Make the Beef Tips
Cut the steak into ¼ - ½ inch cubes. Season generously with the cajun seasoning blend. Set aside.
Heat Instant Pot to “high” saute settings. Once saute display reads “Hot” add a tablespoon of oil then brown the beef on all sides.
Remove the beef to a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the onion and saute 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Season the vegetables as you saute with some of the cajun seasoning.
Add a ½ cup of the epic seasoning to the onions and stir mixing well.
Add the beef stock, wine, and Worcestershire sauce mixing well to deglaze the pan. Add the bay leaf, fresh thyme, and some more of the spices, then add the beef tips back to the pot. Close the lid and then pressure cook for 20 minutes.
Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes then manually release the pressure afterward.
Cancel pressure cooking then return the Instant Pot back to “saute” settings. Add the roux, mix well and cook another 10 minutes. Serve over rice, cooked in your preferred way.
COOKING CONSIDERATIONS AND TIPS
Beef tips recipe success will depend largely on the type of meat used. Many recipes call for stew meat. However, I prefer to buy a sirloin steak and cut it myself. This way I know what I’m working with from a quality standpoint exactly and I can also guarantee that I'll be getting the freshest meat. Chuck or round roasts also make good options.
Cut the tips as evenly as possible to ensure near-even cooking. You don’t have to be exact, but you get the point hopefully.
For easier slicing, partially freeze the steak ahead of time. A semi-frozen steak is much easier to cut, vs a wet tender raw steak.
Season as you go. I mix my spices ahead of time then add “pinches” here and there at each step. Worcestershire sauce is your friend and is a defining flavor in the dish. You don’t have to use as much as other recipes call for given the Haitian Epis seasoning offers a flavor base on its own.
Haitian epis appears in many of my recipes. It’s a base seasoning that is very similar to a sofrito or creole Holy Trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper).
Don’t skimp on the roux. You can cheat and make a slurry to save time, but you lose a bit on flavor.
The recipe is for instant pot, but can easily be made on traditional stovetop. Steps are the same, but cook time and process are a slow simmer for about 2 hours after browning the beef tips.
I'm not a crockpot guy, but you could convert the recipe to this cooking method also. It will be important to brown the meat in a separate skillet first though.
Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, collard greens, or egg noodles.
Beef Tips and Rice Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are beef tips and stew meat the same?
They can be, but not entirely. Stew meat can be used in a beef tips recipe, but most beef tip recipes call for whole cuts of meats that are then chopped up for beef tips. Sirloin and chuck are commonly used.
How do you make tough beef tips tender?
Tenderness is achieved through low and slow cooking. Instant Pot "pressure cooking" achieves the same thing but much faster. Acidity helps as a tenderizer also.
What is good to eat with beef tips?
Beef tips and rice are a great combination and most common. However mashed potatoes, tips and gravy are heavenly. Pretty much anything you're comfortable putting gravy on works well with beef tips.
What kind of meat is beef tips?
It depends on you. Beef tips are just chunks of beef, but they could be made from many different types of beef cuts including sirloin and chuck roast.
What Sides do you serve with beef tips and rice?
A good mustard greens salad is a great side salad option. Greens dishes work well to balance against the richness of the gravy and the starchy rice. Slaw is another great option.
What size Instant Pot do you use?
I have an 8 quart instant pot, but 6 quarts are most common. Size depends on the type of cooking you're doing primarily and the number of people in your household.
MORE RECIPES
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
Meatballs and Coconut Curry Gravy
Vegetable Beef Soup w/ Yuca and Collards
MAKE THE RECIPE
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Equipment
- instant pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb Beef Sirloin Steak cut into ¼ - ½ inch chunks
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 Fresh Thyme sprigs
- ½ cup Haitian Epis Seasoning Base
- 1 White Onion diced
- 4 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ cup Red Wine
- 2 cups Beef Stock
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 cup melted unsalted butter or canola oil
- 1 cup Rice
Instructions
Make the roux
- Start with a 2:1 ratio flour to fat and mix right in the skillet until smooth and well blended. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and place skillet in the oven. Check the roux after about 20 minutes. Stir as necessary and bake until desired color. I prefer a darker chocolate color.
Make the Beef Tips
- In a cast iron or other oven proof skillet mix oil and flour well.
- Mix the cajun seasoning spices together in a mixing bowl.
- Season the beef tips with a ¼ of the cajun seasoning blend. Set aside.
- Heat Instant Pot to “high” saute settings. Once saute display reads “Hot” add a tablespoon of oil then brown the beef on all sides.
- Remove the beef to a paper towel lined plate.
- Add the onion and saute 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Season the vegetables as you saute with half of the remaining cajun seasoning.
- Add a ½ cup of the epic seasoning to the onions and stir mixing well.
- Add the stock, wine, and Worcestershire sauce mixing well to deglaze the pan. Add the bay leaf and last of the spices, then add the beef tips back to the pot.
- Close the lid and then pressure cook for 20 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes then manual release the pressure.
- Cancel cook then return to “saute” settings. Add the roux, mix well and cook another 10 minutes. Serve over rice, cooked in your preferred way.