Slow Cooker Steak Bites

Why This Slow Cooker Steak Bites Recipe Works 

• Hands-free. Apart from a quick sear to brown the steak, the rest of the magic happens inside the slow cooker. This steak bites recipe is a crock pot meal that you can practically forget about until dinner time.
• Versatile. Slow cooker steak bites are delicious over rice, mashed potatoes, and pasta, or you can tuck them into tacos, wraps, or even enjoy them as an appetizer. The possibilities are endless!
• Tender and juicy. Slow cooking gives the meat plenty of time to soak up the savoriness and moisture from the beef broth. A packet of Au Jus mix adds even more flavor! These crock pot steak bites turn out juicy, tender, and satisfying.

Recipe Ingredients

This steak bites recipe uses simple ingredients (just one more thing to love!). I’ve included my notes here, and you’ll find the printable ingredients list with the full amounts in the recipe card after the post.

• Beef – I use a chuck roast and cut it into cubes, but you can use another cut, like sirloin (see below).
• Oil – Olive oil or similar, for sautéeing.
• Onion and Garlic – Finely chopped yellow onion or shallot, and freshly minced garlic.
• Butter – Cut into cubes.
• Beef Broth – I recommend low-sodium beef broth or stock. You could use chicken broth, but the flavor won’t be as rich.
• Au Jus Mix – This is optional, but a packet of au jus gravy is my easy trick to add flavor and thicken the beef broth. 

What’s the Best Steak for Steak Bites?

The best steak for slow cooking has a lot of fat marbling, which is key to rich and tender meat. I make this recipe with chuck roast, but sirloin steak is a good second choice, as is flank steak, round steak, and beef stewing meat (the kind that’s already cut into cubes).

How to Make Steak Bites in the Slow Cooker

Once you’ve rounded up your ingredients, follow the easy steps below to have your steak bites simmering in the slow cooker. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable instructions.

Why Are My Steak Bites Tough?

Steak that turns out chewy in the slow cooker is usually either overdone or underdone. Confusing, I know. Overcooking can make the steak dry and chewy while undercooking can leave certain steak cuts tasting tough. So, make sure to use a cut that’s good for slow cooking (see the Ingredients section for tips).

Tips and Variations

• Cut the steak into same-size pieces. If the steak bites are uneven in size, some pieces will end up overcooked, while others stay undercooked. Cut them to the same size so that they cook more evenly. 
• Adjust the saltiness to taste. I use ½ packet of Au Jus mix as I find that a whole packet makes the sauce too salty. If you’re cutting down on sodium, you can skip the Au Jus altogether. The beef broth still makes a tasty sauce for the steak.
• Different seasonings. Add in a mix of ginger, garlic, and Thai seasoning to make a variation of Thai steak bites (or borrow the sauce from that recipe). You can also make a Tex-Mex version by sprinkling in taco seasoning or fajita seasoning.
• Cook to your desired doneness. This recipe as is will slow cook the steak to medium-rare. If you prefer your steak bites well done, feel free to leave them in the crock pot for longer until they’re cooked how you like them.

Serving Suggestions

These slow cooker steak bites are super versatile. I serve them with the sauce over everything from fluffy jasmine rice to mashed potatoes and creamy mushroom rice pilaf for an easy meal on any night of the week. Just add a tossed salad on the side! These tender bites of steak are also great rolled up in beef lettuce wraps or tacos, and they even make a great add-on to nachos.

As an easy appetizer, I like to simmer the cooking juices into a gravy for dipping and serve these steak bites surf-and-turf style with a tray of salmon bites! Or, I’ll serve these steak bites with more dipping sauces, like chimichurri.

Storing and Reheating

• Refrigerate. Store leftover slow cooker steak bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Leftovers are great reheated (see below) or you can add them to stir-fries, pasta, steak salad, and soups.
• Reheat. Warm the steak in the oven at 350ºF for 7-10 minutes, until they’re hot throughout.
• Freeze. You can freese these steak bites for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge before reheating. 

More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

• Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches
• BBQ Beef
• Slow Cooker Korean Beef Tacos
• Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches