There is something especially comforting about a slow cooker meal that asks very little of you and still turns out hearty enough to make folks hover around the kitchen. This Amish-style beet beef brings together the plain good sense of country cooking: a solid cut of beef, a handful of pantry staples, and sweet earthy baby beets tucked all around to mellow into the juices as the day goes on. It is the kind of simple supper that feels old-fashioned in the best way, with rich gravy and tender vegetables that make the whole house smell like supper ought to.
Serve this beet beef with buttery mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or a slice of homemade bread to catch every bit of the rosy savory gravy. A side of green beans, cabbage slaw, or simple cooked carrots rounds it out nicely, and if you want to lean into its homestyle charm, a dish of applesauce or pickles on the table fits right in.
Slow Cooker 6-Ingredient Amish Beet Beef
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 1/2 to 3 pounds boneless beef shoulder steak
1 pound whole baby beets, trimmed and peeled
1 large onion, sliced
1 packet dry onion soup mix, about 1 ounce
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Directions
1. Place the boneless beef shoulder steak in the bottom of the slow cooker. Scatter the sliced onion over and around the meat, then tuck the whole baby beets around the sides of the beef.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the dry onion soup mix, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce until combined.
3. Pour the broth mixture evenly over the beef, onions, and beets. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and the beets are soft.
4. Transfer the beef to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice or shred the meat, then return it to the slow cooker juices or arrange it on a platter with the beets and spoon the juices over the top before serving.
Variations & Tips
Add a thicker gravy: If you like a more substantial gravy, remove the cooked beef and beets, then pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan. Simmer it with a cornstarch slurry until it thickens, and spoon it back over the meat before serving.
Use canned baby beets: In a pinch, drained canned baby beets can be used instead of fresh. Add them during the last 1 to 2 hours of cooking so they keep their shape and color a bit better.
Make it a one-pot supper: For an even heartier meal, add peeled carrots or halved small potatoes alongside the beets. Keep in mind that doing so moves the recipe beyond six ingredients, but it makes a fine Sunday dinner.
Slice across the grain: Beef shoulder becomes wonderfully tender in the slow cooker, but slicing across the grain still makes each serving easier to eat and gives the platter a nicer homestyle look.