Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Steak Strips for Effortless Dinners Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before you begin cooking, gather all of your ingredients and equipment on a clean workspace. Slice the beef steak into uniform one-inch strips, ensuring you cut across the grain for maximum tenderness.

Mince the fresh garlic cloves finely and chop the fresh herbs. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Having everything prepped and measured beforehand ensures a smooth, seamless assembly process.

Instructions

Seasoning and Preparation

1. 1Season the Beef Strips
   Place the beef steak, cut into 1-inch strips, onto a clean work surface. Evenly sprinkle the steak seasoning over all sides of the meat. Use clean hands to toss the seasoned beef strips, ensuring every piece is uniformly coated with the seasoning before transferring them to the slow cooker.
   Look for The beef strips should be evenly colored by the dry rub with no bare spots.
   Tip Pat the beef dry with paper towels before seasoning to help the spices adhere better.

At the end of this initial phase, the raw beef strips should be completely and evenly coated with the steak seasoning. The meat will appear slightly tacky from the dry rub, and there should be no bare patches. This thorough seasoning process is crucial because it forms the initial flavor base that will infuse the beef as it cooks.

Saucing and Assembly

2. 2Prepare the Garlic Butter Sauce
   In a small mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, minced garlic cloves, and chopped fresh herbs. Whisk the ingredients together until the garlic and herbs are evenly suspended in the warm, liquefied butter, creating a fragrant and cohesive sauce ready to be drizzled.
   Look for The herbs should be thoroughly dispersed throughout the golden melted butter.
   Tip Ensure the butter is warm but not boiling hot when mixing in the fresh garlic to prevent scorching.
3. 3Combine and Arrange in Slow Cooker
   Arrange the seasoned beef strips in an even layer at the bottom of the slow cooker insert. Slowly drizzle the prepared garlic herb butter sauce over the meat, leaving some clear space on top of the strips to allow the steam to circulate properly during the cooking process.
   Look for The seasoned beef should be partially submerged in the rich butter sauce.
   Tip Avoid crowding the meat excessively to ensure uniform heat distribution.

After assembling the ingredients in the slow cooker, the seasoned beef strips should be arranged in a single or slightly overlapping layer.

The rich, golden garlic herb butter sauce should be drizzled evenly over the meat, leaving some areas exposed. You will smell a strong, pleasant aroma of fresh garlic and buttery herbs immediately upon drizzling.

Slow Cooking and Resting

4. 4Cook and Rest the Steak
   Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low for 4 hours (or on high for 2 hours) until the beef is incredibly tender and reaches a safe internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Once cooked, turn off the heat and let the steak strips rest inside the slow cooker for 3 minutes before serving.
   Look for The steak strips should be fork-tender and bathed in a bubbling garlic butter broth.
   Safe temperature 145°F (63°C) internal temperature (steaks, chops and roasts)
   Tip Keep the lid closed during the cooking cycle to maintain consistent internal heat.

At the end of the slow cooking phase, the beef strips should be incredibly tender and easily pierced with a fork. The butter sauce will be gently simmering and bubbling around the edges of the slow cooker insert. The beef must reach a safe internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) and rest for 3 minutes before serving.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is crowding the slow cooker or slicing the beef strips too thickly. If the strips are cut into uneven sizes, they will cook at different rates, leaving some pieces tough and others overcooked.

Another error is opening the slow cooker lid frequently during the cooking process. Each time the lid is lifted, significant heat escapes, which can add up to twenty minutes to the total cooking time and disrupt the gentle simmering process.

How to tell it’s done

To accurately determine doneness, insert a digital meat thermometer into the thickest part of a steak strip. The beef is safe and perfectly cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).

In addition to the temperature check, the steak should be fork-tender and pull apart easily with minimal resistance. Let the meat rest for at least 3 minutes inside the slow cooker to allow the juices to redistribute.

• Steaks, chops and roasts: 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part, then a 3-minute rest