Place butter slices atop raw cubed beef, together with 2 additional ingredients, into slow cooker for a hearty farmhouse supper that’s the one everyone asks for

This slow cooker Amish-style buttered beef and noodles is the kind of farmhouse supper that feels like a hug at the end of a long day. It leans on a classic Midwestern pantry trio—beef, butter, and onion soup mix—plus egg noodles added at the end. The method is beautifully simple: you place butter slices right on top of raw cubed beef along with two additional ingredients, set the slow cooker, and let time do the work. The result is tender, richly flavored beef with buttery noodles that taste like something a church basement potluck aunt has been making for decades.

Serve the buttered beef and noodles in wide bowls with a spoon to catch every bit of the buttery juices. A simple green side—like steamed green beans, a crisp salad with a tangy vinaigrette, or roasted Brussels sprouts—balances the richness. Warm dinner rolls or a slice of crusty bread are great for mopping up the sauce, and a sharp dill pickle or a bit of sauerkraut on the side adds a nice counterpoint if you enjoy a touch of acidity.

Servings: 6

2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes

Place the raw cubed beef stew meat in an even layer in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Spread it out so the pieces are mostly in a single layer; this helps them cook evenly and stay tender.

Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the top of the beef. Try to cover as much of the surface as you can so the flavor distributes well as it cooks.

Slice the butter into thin pats. Arrange the butter slices directly on top of the seasoned raw beef, covering the surface as much as possible. This step is key to the rich, buttery flavor and ensures the beef bastes in its own juices and melted butter as it cooks.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily breaks apart with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid during the first few hours so the slow cooker can maintain a steady temperature.

About 30 minutes before you want to serve, stir the beef gently in the slow cooker to mix it with the buttery juices. Pour in the water (or low-sodium beef broth) and stir again. This extra liquid will help cook the noodles right in the slow cooker.

Add the uncooked egg noodles to the slow cooker, pressing them down lightly so they are mostly submerged in the liquid and nestled among the beef. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the noodles are tender but not mushy.

Taste and season with a little salt and black pepper if needed; the onion soup mix is fairly salty, so add extra salt cautiously. Give everything a final gentle stir to coat the noodles and beef in the buttery sauce.

Serve the buttered beef and noodles hot, spooned into bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of beef, noodles, and the savory buttery juices from the bottom of the slow cooker.

For extra richness, you can replace half of the water used to cook the noodles with additional low-sodium beef broth, or stir in 1/4 cup of sour cream at the very end for a stroganoff-like tang. If you prefer a bit more vegetable presence without changing the core character, add 1 to 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms or a handful of baby carrots on top of the beef before adding the butter; they will soften and soak up the buttery juices. To emphasize the Amish-style comfort angle, use homestyle or kluski egg noodles, which hold up well in the slow cooker. If you need to stretch the meal for more people, cook an extra 4 ounces of egg noodles separately in salted water, then stir them into the slow cooker right before serving, adding a splash of reserved pasta cooking water if the mixture seems dry. For a lighter version, you can trim visible fat from the beef and reduce the butter to 6 tablespoons; the dish will still be flavorful, just a bit less rich. Food safety tips: Always start with fresh or properly thawed beef (thaw in the refrigerator, never on the counter). Keep the slow cooker covered while cooking and use the LOW or HIGH settings recommended; do not use a “keep warm” setting to cook raw meat. Leftovers should be cooled and refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking in shallow containers and eaten within 3 to 4 days, or frozen for up to 2 to 3 months. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot throughout before serving.