Crockpot Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Recipe is from a collab with All Recipes (https://www.allrecipes.com/crockpot-garlic-butter-steak-bites-recipe-11773897), but yall it is SO GOOD! Only a few ingredients and so easy to make! Check out video for the step by step.
Crockpot Garlic Butter Steak Bites are the dinner that smells so good while it cooks that your neighbors will start showing up uninvited. Tender chunks of chuck roast slow-cooked low and slow in a luxurious garlic-butter au-jus sauce, served over creamy mashed potatoes with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. It is the kind of dinner that tastes like a steakhouse but takes 10 minutes of actual hands-on work.
This recipe came out of a collab I did with All Recipes, and it has earned its place in my permanent rotation. The combination of butter, garlic, au jus seasoning, and beef broth creates a sauce that is part French onion, part garlic butter, part beef bourguignon. The chuck roast cubes get fork-tender after 6 hours on low, and the sliced onions on the bottom of the crockpot melt into the most savory base layer.
The eight cloves of garlic might sound like a lot, but trust me. Slow cooking mellows garlic into this rich, almost sweet, savory backbone of the dish. If you are a garlic lover, do not be shy about adding more. The fresh parsley stirred in at the end brings a pop of color and brightness that cuts through the rich buttery sauce perfectly.
Serve over refrigerated mashed potatoes (Bob Evans is my go-to for the easiest weeknight cheat), egg noodles, rice, or polenta. The sauce wants something starchy to soak into, and the meat itself is so flavorful that even a simple side feels luxurious. This is one of those crockpot recipes that genuinely tastes restaurant-quality. Let's make it.
📝 Ingredients
- 1 Onion, Sliced
- 1 (1oz) packet au jus gravy seasoning
- 3 lbs chuck roast, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes
- 1 TBSP steak seasoning
- 1/4 cup butter
- 8 cloves garlic, minced (or more for taste)
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 2 TBSP Fresh Parsley, chopped
- Refrigerated mashed potatoes for serving
👩🍳 Directions
- 1
Place sliced onions in the bottom of your slow cooker and sprinkle with the au jus seasoning.
- 2
Toss the cubed beef with steak seasoning and add it on top of the onions.
- 3
Top with butter and minced garlic, then pour the beef broth around the edges.
- 4
Cover and cook on LOW for about 6 hours, or until the beef is tender.
- 5
Stir in the fresh parsley just before serving. Heat up mashed potatoes and serve steak with gravy over mashed potatoes.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Chuck roast: 3 pounds cut into 1.5-inch cubes. Pre-cubed stew meat works too. Chuck is what you want for that fall-apart tender texture after slow cooking.
Onion: One large yellow onion sliced thin. White or sweet onion also work. The slices melt down into the sauce base.
Au jus seasoning packet: One 1-ounce packet. McCormick is the standard brand. Brown gravy mix subs in a pinch.
Steak seasoning: 1 tablespoon. Montreal Steak Seasoning is the classic. Any steak seasoning blend works.
Butter: A quarter cup (half a stick) sliced into pats. Real butter, not margarine. This is non-negotiable for the garlic butter sauce.
Garlic: 8 cloves minced. Fresh garlic is best, jarred minced works as a sub. The slow cooking mellows the garlic into deep savory sweetness.
Beef broth: 3/4 cup. Low-sodium gives you the most control over the salt level.
Fresh parsley: 2 tablespoons chopped, stirred in just before serving. Brightens up the rich sauce.
Refrigerated mashed potatoes: Bob Evans or any brand. The easiest weeknight cheat for an instant creamy side. Homemade or instant mashed potatoes also work.
How to Store, Reheat & Freeze
Store the steak bites with their sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavor improves overnight as everything melds. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat with a splash of broth, or in the microwave covered for 1 to 2 minutes.
To freeze, cool completely and portion into freezer-safe containers or bags with the sauce. Freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stove. The mashed potatoes are best fresh, so prepare those when ready to serve.
What to Serve With Crockpot Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Mashed potatoes are the perfect partner because they catch all that rich garlic-butter sauce. Egg noodles, white rice, polenta, or risotto also work beautifully. For vegetables, roasted broccoli, sauteed green beans, roasted Brussels sprouts, or a simple side salad balance the richness. Crusty bread or dinner rolls for sopping up sauce are essential. For drinks, a glass of red wine (Cabernet, Malbec, or Zinfandel) pairs beautifully with the savory beef.
💡 Tips for Success
- Use a chuck roast cut into 1.5-inch cubes. Chuck has the right marbling and connective tissue to break down into that fall-apart tender texture after hours of slow cooking. Pre-cut stew meat works too.
- Slice the onion thin, not chopped. Half-moons or thin slices melt down into the sauce, while big chunks stay too distinct. The onion is supposed to become part of the sauce, not a separate ingredient.
- Season the cubed beef generously with steak seasoning before adding to the crockpot. The seasoning forms a crust around each piece as it cooks, building flavor at every step.
- Use real butter, not margarine. The garlic butter sauce is the heart of this dish. Cut the butter into pats and lay them on top of the meat so they melt down evenly.
- Mince the garlic fresh if you can. Eight cloves sounds like a lot but you want all of that flavor. A microplane or fine grater works fastest. Jarred minced garlic works as a substitute but fresh is better.
- Cook on LOW only. High heat in a crockpot makes the beef tough and stringy. Low and slow is what gives you the silky, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Pour the beef broth around the edges, not directly on top of the meat. This way the butter and seasonings stay on the beef instead of getting washed off.
- Stir the fresh parsley in right before serving, not while it cooks. Cooked parsley loses its color and flavor. Fresh added at the end brightens the whole dish.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different cut of beef?
Stew meat (often pre-cubed) is the easiest substitute and usually labeled as such. Chuck roast cubed is the gold standard. Avoid lean cuts like sirloin or eye of round, they get tough in this preparation.
Can I make this on the stove or in an Instant Pot?
Yes. For stove, sear the cubes in a Dutch oven, add the rest of the ingredients, cover and simmer on low for about 2 hours. For Instant Pot, sear on saute mode, then pressure cook on high for 35 minutes with a 15-minute natural release.
How spicy is this?
Not spicy at all. The au jus seasoning brings savory depth without heat. For a kick, add red pepper flakes or a chopped chili pepper to the crockpot.
Can I add vegetables?
Yes. Carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms all work great. Add hearty vegetables (carrots, potatoes) at the start. Add mushrooms in the last 2 hours so they do not turn to mush.
What if I do not have au jus seasoning?
Use a packet of brown gravy mix instead. Or skip the packet and add an extra tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce plus a bouillon cube to the broth for similar depth.
How long do leftovers keep?
Store with the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavor deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of beef broth if needed.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cool completely and portion into freezer-safe containers with the sauce. Freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove.
Made this recipe?
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