These slow cooker 4-ingredient beef and radish packets take me right back to the kind of Sunday dinners we used to have on the farm, when everyone came in from chores and wanted something hearty but simple. The magic here is in the foil packets: each little parcel hides tender beef and sweet-bitey spring radishes, all soaking up a savory soup mix as they slowly steam in their own juices. My sister tasted these once and promptly requested them for Sunday dinner, and sure enough, the whole crew inhaled whatever was hiding inside. It’s a very Midwestern sort of comfort—humble ingredients, easy method, and a bit of fun as everyone opens their own foil packet at the table.
Serve these beef and radish packets right out of the slow cooker, setting the hot foil bundles onto plates and letting everyone carefully open their own. Spoon any juices from the foil over the meat and radishes. They’re lovely with mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles to soak up the broth, and a simple green side—steamed green beans, a tossed salad, or buttered peas—keeps things fresh. Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are nice for mopping up the juices, and if you like, a little dish of prepared horseradish or grainy mustard on the table gives folks an extra kick to add as they please.
Slow Cooker Beef and Radish PacketsServings: 4
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cups radishes, trimmed and halved (about 1 pound)
1 packet (1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup beef broth or water
Directions
Tear off 4 large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, each about 12 to 14 inches long, and lay them out flat on the counter. If your foil is thin, double-layer each sheet so the juices stay put.
In a large bowl, combine the beef stew meat, halved radishes, and dry onion soup mix. Toss well with clean hands or a big spoon until the beef and radishes are evenly coated with the soup mix.
Divide the beef and radish mixture evenly among the 4 foil sheets, piling it into the center of each sheet.
Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of beef broth or water over the top of each pile. This little bit of liquid helps create steam and a flavorful broth inside each packet as it cooks.
Bring the long sides of each piece of foil up over the filling and fold them together tightly several times to seal. Then roll and crimp the short ends up and in, forming a snug packet with no gaps where juices can escape.
Place the foil packets seam-side up in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, arranging them in a single layer as best you can. If needed, you can lean one or two packets slightly on top of the others, but avoid smashing them.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and 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 the radishes are soft and juicy.
When ready to serve, turn off the slow cooker. Using tongs or a spatula, carefully lift the hot foil packets out and place them on plates or a baking sheet. Let them sit for a minute, then carefully open each packet away from your face to avoid the hot steam.
Sprinkle freshly cracked black pepper over the top of the opened packets, if you like, and spoon the rich juices over the beef and radishes before serving.
Variations & Tips
You can swap the beef stew meat for boneless beef chuck cut into cubes if that’s what you have; it will cook up just as tender. If radishes are out of season, you can use small chunks of turnip or rutabaga, though the flavor will be a bit earthier than the sweet-bite of spring radishes. For a milder onion flavor, use half the soup mix packet and add a pinch of garlic powder. If you prefer a bit of heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the bowl with the beef and radishes before tossing. To keep this very lean, trim any large pieces of fat from the beef before cooking. Food safety tips: Always keep raw beef refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble the packets, and wash your hands, cutting boards, and knives thoroughly after handling raw meat. Make sure the slow cooker is set to LOW or HIGH as directed—never use the “warm” setting for cooking raw meat. The beef should reach at least 145°F, though stew cuts are best closer to 190°F for tenderness; if in doubt, check a piece with an instant-read thermometer. Don’t open the foil packets inside the slow cooker, as escaping steam can burn your hands and will cool down the cooker too quickly; instead, remove the packets with tongs and open them on a plate or baking sheet. Leftovers should be cooled and refrigerated within 2 hours and can be reheated thoroughly until steaming hot before serving again.
