Description
Slow Cooker Honey Bourbon Steak Tips offer a tender and flavorful dish where sirloin steak bites are seared to lock in flavor, then slow-cooked in a rich and slightly sweet bourbon sauce. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a comforting weekend meal, this recipe combines ingredients like honey, bourbon, soy sauce, and garlic to create a savory sauce that pairs beautifully with the juicy steak.
Ingredients
Scale
Steak and Searing
- 2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Sauce Ingredients
- ¼ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Thickening
- ¼ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
Garnish
- Fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Sear the Steak Bites: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Once hot, sear the sirloin steak pieces in batches until browned on all sides. This step is to add color and flavor but not to cook the steak through.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Place all the seared steak bites into the slow cooker, setting the stage for slow cooking.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together bourbon, honey, ketchup, low-sodium soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
- Cook the Steak Tips: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the steak bites in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 6 hours until the steak is fork-tender. If possible, stir the mixture halfway through to ensure even cooking and flavor distribution.
- Thicken the Sauce (Optional): About 30 minutes before the cooking time ends, whisk together cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Stir this into the slow cooker to thicken the sauce as it finishes cooking.
- Serve: Once done, serve the honey bourbon steak tips warm, garnished with fresh parsley if desired, for a bright and fresh touch.
Notes
- For best flavor, don’t skip searing the steak bites as it adds excellent depth to the final dish.
- Low-sodium soy sauce is recommended to keep salt levels moderate.
- You can adjust the cooking time slightly based on your slow cooker’s temperature settings; just ensure the steak is fork-tender.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, do not skip the cornstarch slurry step.
- Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or roasted vegetables to complete the meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 to 6 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: slow cooker steak tips, honey bourbon steak, slow cooked steak, bourbon sauce steak, easy slow cooker recipe, tender steak tips
