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Garlic Butter Beef Bites in the Slow Cooker — Tender, Seared Bites & Potatoes Pinterest recipe pin

Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Beef Bites with Potatoes

Tender seared beef bites and small potatoes slow-cooked then finished with a garlic-butter sauce for a family-friendly, hands-off dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds chuck roast trimmed and cut into 1 to 1.5-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper divided
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic 2 smashed and 2 minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped
  • 2 pounds small waxy potatoes Yukon Gold or red, halved if larger
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and divided
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped (for finishing)
Optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, for heat
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms optional, add with potatoes

Equipment

  • 1 6-quart slow cooker
  • 1 12-inch skillet (cast-iron or stainless) for searing
  • 1 Sharp chef's knife

Method
 

Prep and sear
  1. Pat beef dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and sear beef in batches 1–2 minutes per side until browned; transfer seared beef to the slow cooker.
Build in the slow cooker
  1. Add sliced onion, the smashed garlic cloves, tomato paste, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme to the slow cooker; stir gently to combine.
Cook
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours; at the halfway point (about 2.5 hours on LOW or 1.5 hours on HIGH) add the halved small potatoes and optional mushrooms, then cover and continue cooking until beef is fork-tender and potatoes are cooked through.
Finish
  1. Remove and discard the smashed garlic cloves and any herb stems; ladle about 1 cup of cooking liquid into a small saucepan and simmer until slightly reduced, then turn off heat and whisk in cold butter one tablespoon at a time until glossy; stir in minced garlic and parsley off heat.
  2. Pour the finished sauce back over the beef and potatoes, toss gently to coat, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper before serving.

Notes

Sear the beef in batches for best browning; add potatoes midway to prevent them from becoming mushy. If you must use russets, add them later and reduce overall cook time slightly. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze portions for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before reheating with a splash of broth.