Fall is officially here, and I’m not mad about it. The mornings have a little bite to them, the evenings are getting dark earlier, and I’ve already caught myself wanting something warm and hearty for dinner. If you’re feeling the same way, I’ve got just the thing.
Beef tips and gravy is one of those meals that feels like a hug in a bowl. Tender chunks of beef, a rich savory gravy, and a big scoop of mashed potatoes or rice underneath to soak up every last drop. It’s the kind of dinner that makes everyone slow down and settle in at the table.
And the best part? It’s honestly not hard. There’s some browning and a good long simmer, but most of the time the pot is doing the work while you do something else. Throw on a podcast, fold some laundry, or just enjoy the smell filling up the house.
Why This Is My Go-To Cold Weather Dinner
When the temperature drops, I want food that’s cozy without being complicated. This one checks all the boxes:
- It’s budget friendly. Stew meat or a cubed chuck roast is an affordable cut, and the long, slow simmer turns it fork-tender.
- It’s mostly hands-off. After the beef is browned, you cover it and let it go low for about an hour and a half.
- It uses ingredients you probably have. Soy sauce, Worcestershire, broth, and a packet of brown gravy mix.
- It makes great leftovers. The flavors keep deepening, so day two might be even better.
- It feeds a crowd. Two pounds of beef goes a long way over a pile of mashed potatoes.
The Secret Ingredients
The base of this recipe is simple, but a few ingredients take it from “good” to “go ahead and make a second helping.”
Tuscan Herb Olive Oil
Browning the beef is where you build flavor, so I do it in our Tuscan Herb Olive Oil. It’s infused with savory herbs, so the beef picks up a subtle, aromatic base layer right from the start. You don’t need to add a bunch of extra herbs. The oil does a lot of that for you.
One tip: brown the meat in batches. If you pile it all in at once, the beef steams instead of searing, and you miss out on those deeply browned edges that make the gravy so good. Give each piece a little room, and be patient.
Basiks Italian Seasoning Blend
I season the beef with garlic powder and the Italian seasoning blend from Basiks. It’s a flavorful mix of herbs that adds warmth and depth without much effort. A good seasoning blend is one of the easiest ways to make a simple dinner taste like you worked a lot harder than you did. Sprinkle it on the beef before it hits the pan, and the flavor gets right in there.
18-Year Barrel Aged Traditional Balsamic
This is the one people don’t expect. A quarter cup of our 18-Year Barrel Aged Traditional Balsamic goes into the pot along with the soy sauce and Worcestershire, and it makes a big difference.
Traditional balsamic is thick, rich, and naturally sweet, with a deep, almost syrupy flavor that develops during the long aging process. As it simmers with the beef, it mellows into a savory sweetness that balances out the salty soy and tangy Worcestershire. Nobody is going to take a bite and say, “Is that vinegar?” They’re just going to wonder why your gravy tastes so good.
If you’ve only ever used balsamic on salads, this is a great way to see how versatile it is in the kitchen.
Beef Tips and Gravy with Aged Balsamic
Tender beef tips simmered low and slow in a savory gravy with aged balsamic, Tuscan herb olive oil, and Italian seasoning. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice for the ultimate fall comfort meal.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs stew meat or cubed chuck roast
- Garlic powder, to season
- Italian seasoning blend (I used Basiks)
- 2-3 tbsp AOOC Tuscan Herb Olive Oil, for browning
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ¼ cup AOOC 18-Year Barrel Aged Traditional Balsamic
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups beef broth (or water)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 packet brown gravy mix, whisked into 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Season the beef. Pat the meat dry and season with garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
- Brown in batches. Heat the Tuscan Herb Olive Oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches so it sears instead of steams. Set aside.
- Soften the onion. In the same pan, sauté the diced onion until soft, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
- Build the sauce. Return the beef to the pan. Add the soy sauce, balsamic, Worcestershire, and beef broth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer. Cover and cook on low for 1½ hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
- Make the gravy. Stir in the brown gravy mix and water mixture.
- Thicken. Stir together the cornstarch and water, add it to the pan, and stir until the gravy thickens.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.
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