I’ve discovered that beef tips are my secret weapon for transforming ordinary weeknight dinners into something special. The magic happens when cubes of chuck roast slowly simmer in a rich bath of red wine and savory soups, becoming fork-tender and deeply flavorful. This humble dish delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal effort, making it perfect for both casual family meals and entertaining guests. There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching simple ingredients transform into something so extraordinary…
Key Takeaways
- Beef tips are tender cubes of chuck roast or stew meat cooked slowly until perfectly tender.
- Cooking beef tips at 300°F for 3-3½ hours breaks down tough connective tissue for maximum flavor.
- The dish combines meat with onion soup mix, mushroom soup, and red wine for rich sauce.
- Serve beef tips over buttered noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes to soak up the flavorful sauce.
- Easily customize with substitutions like beef broth instead of wine or different cream soups.
Why You’ll Love these Savory Wine-Simmered Beef Tips
Comfort on a plate awaits with these tender, flavorful beef tips that raise a simple weeknight dinner to something special.
I’m particularly fond of how the dry red wine transforms chuck roast into something extraordinary, creating a rich depth that permeates every bite.
What makes this recipe brilliant is its simplicity. Just cube your meat, toss with onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, and mushrooms, then let your oven do the work for three hours.
The long, slow cooking breaks down the meat’s connective tissue, resulting in fork-tender bites that practically melt in your mouth.
I’ve found that serving these savory morsels over buttered noodles allows the sumptuous sauce to cling perfectly, though rice works wonderfully too.
What Ingredients are in Savory Wine-Simmered Beef Tips?
These savory wine-simmered beef tips combine the richness of slow-cooked beef with the depth of red wine and mushrooms. The recipe relies on a few pantry staples and creates a deeply flavorful sauce that’s perfect for spooning over starches.
The combination of onion soup mix and cream of mushroom soup creates a flavor base that requires minimal effort but delivers maximum taste.
- 2½ pounds chuck roast or very lean stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 large can mushrooms, drained
- ½ to ⅔ cup dry red wine
When shopping for this recipe, quality matters, especially for the beef. Chuck roast is ideal because it becomes tender and flavorful during the long cooking process, but any good stew meat will work nicely.
For the wine, you don’t need anything expensive—just something dry and red that you wouldn’t mind drinking. The alcohol cooks off during the long baking time, leaving behind only rich flavor that transforms these simple ingredients into something truly special.
How to Make these Savory Wine-Simmered Beef Tips
Making these tender, flavorful beef tips couldn’t be simpler, but the results taste like you’ve been cooking all day. Start by preheating your oven to 300°F—this low, slow temperature is the secret to turning tough meat into something that melts in your mouth.
Cut your 2½ pounds of chuck roast (or lean stew meat if you prefer) into 1-inch cubes. No need to be perfect here; just aim for roughly similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
Now for the magic mixture that creates that incredible sauce. Sprinkle 1 envelope of dry onion soup mix over your cubed meat, then pour in 1 can of cream of mushroom soup. Add 1 large can of drained mushrooms—those little flavor bombs that make every bite interesting.
The ingredient that takes this dish from good to magnificent? About ½ to ⅔ cup of dry red wine. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just something you wouldn’t mind drinking with dinner.
Mix everything together in a covered baking dish, pop it in the oven, and let it work its magic for about 3 to 3½ hours. The house will smell amazing, trust me.
For a quicker and healthier alternative, you could prepare these beef tips in a large premium air fryer which reduces cooking time significantly while maintaining that tender texture.
When it’s done, serve those gloriously tender beef tips over buttered noodles or rice to soak up all that savory sauce. Sometimes the simplest recipes are the most satisfying, don’t you think?
Savory Wine-Simmered Beef Tips Substitutions and Variations
The beauty of this beef tips recipe lies in its flexibility—you can easily adapt it to suit your taste preferences or pantry limitations.
If you don’t have red wine on hand, I recommend substituting beef broth or even grape juice with a splash of vinegar to maintain that depth of flavor.
Don’t worry if cream of mushroom soup isn’t available—cream of celery or cream of chicken works wonderfully as alternatives.
For a dairy-free version, try coconut cream with a bit of mushroom powder.
The protein is customizable too. While chuck roast delivers rich flavor, you can swap in sirloin tips, venison, or even chicken thighs if you’re watching costs.
I’ve found that adding fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme during the last hour of cooking enhances the dish’s complexity without requiring additional ingredients.
What to Serve with Savory Wine-Simmered Beef Tips
Complementary side dishes elevate beef tips from a simple entrée to a memorable dining experience. While the recipe suggests serving over buttered noodles or rice, I’ve found several alternatives that pair beautifully with these tender, wine-infused morsels.
Creamy mashed potatoes create an ideal base, soaking up that rich gravy with its mushroom and wine flavors.
For a lighter option, I recommend roasted vegetables—particularly carrots, Brussels sprouts, or asparagus—which provide textural contrast and brightness.
A crisp green salad dressed with vinaigrette offers invigorating acidity that cuts through the richness of the beef.
Don’t forget crusty bread for dipping! French bread or garlic toast makes the perfect vehicle for guaranteeing not a drop of that savory sauce goes to waste.
Final Thoughts
After preparing this rustic beef tips recipe several times, I’ve come to appreciate its remarkable versatility and forgiving nature. The combination of dry onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, and red wine creates a depth of flavor that continues to develop during the long, slow cooking process. I’ve found that chuck roast yields the most tender results, though good-quality stew meat works perfectly well.
Don’t hesitate to adjust the ingredients to suit your taste—perhaps adding more mushrooms or experimenting with different wines. The three-hour cooking time might seem lengthy, but it’s this patient approach that transforms tough meat into melt-in-your-mouth bites. Remember to allow the meat to rest after cooking for at least 15 minutes to properly redistribute the juices throughout. Whether served over buttered noodles or rice, these beef tips offer comfort food at its finest—unpretentious yet deeply satisfying.
