Bourbon Gravy Garlic Potato Tenderloin Tips

This slow-cooker dinner is the definition of set-it-and-forget-it. Tender beef tenderloin tips, buttery baby potatoes, and roasted garlic simmer in a rich bourbon-mushroom gravy until everything is meltingly soft.

Serve it over rice for a hearty, comforting meal that feels like a special occasion but comes together with just a few minutes of prep.

There are some dinners that taste like they took hours of careful tending, but this one is almost embarrassingly easy. The secret is a slow cooker and a good jar of gravy. You simply layer the beef, potatoes, garlic, and gravy, then let the machine do the work.

When you come back hours later, the beef is fork-tender and the gravy has deepened into something glossy and full of flavor. This is the kind of meal that makes a busy weeknight feel a little more luxurious.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

The slow cooker’s low, steady heat is perfect for tougher cuts of beef, but it also works wonders on tenderloin tips, keeping them moist and succulent.

The long cooking time allows the flavors of the bourbon gravy to penetrate the meat and potatoes, creating a deeply savory dish. The butter adds a velvety richness that ties everything together.

Cooking the potatoes right in the gravy means they soak up all the beefy, bourbon-infused liquid as they soften. The garlic mellows and sweetens over hours, infusing the entire dish with a gentle roasted flavor. The result is a one-pot meal that delivers complex, layered taste with minimal effort.

Notes and substitutions

Beef tenderloin tips are the star here—they’re already tender, so they only need enough time to absorb the gravy’s flavor. If you can’t find them, sirloin or chuck cut into cubes works well, though chuck will need a longer cook time. The baby Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape nicely and have a buttery texture that complements the beef.

The gravy is the shortcut that makes this recipe so easy. Look for a good-quality brown mushroom-bourbon gravy in a jar; it should be rich and savory.

If you prefer to make your own, you can, but the jar version keeps this dinner truly dump-and-go. Salted butter adds a final touch of richness—if using unsalted, just add a pinch of salt to the pot.

• beef tenderloin tips: beef sirloin or chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes (increase cook time if using chuck)
• baby Yukon Gold potatoes: baby red potatoes or quartered fingerlings
• brown mushroom-bourbon gravy: store-bought beef gravy with a splash of bourbon and a handful of sliced mushrooms
• salted butter: unsalted butter plus a pinch of salt

Equipment

• 6- to 7-quart slow cooker
• Measuring spoons
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Serving spoon
• Rice cooker or pot for rice