There is something mighty comforting about a simple baked beef supper that asks very little of the cook and still comes out smelling like a summer gathering. This Amish-style beef and barbecue sauce casserole leans on the good sense of keeping ingredients few, flavors familiar, and supper practical. A tri-tip steak brushed with bottled honey barbecue sauce and a handful of pantry seasonings bakes right in the casserole dish, making a hearty main dish that feels rustic, thrifty, and fit for both weeknights and Sunday dinner.
Serve this beef with buttery mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or buttered noodles to catch the sweet and savory juices from the pan. It also goes nicely with green beans, sweet corn, coleslaw, or a simple cucumber salad, and if you are feeding hungry folks in the yard on a warm evening, a skillet of cornbread and a pitcher of iced tea make it feel like a full summer table.
Oven Baked 5-Ingredient Amish Beef and BBQ Sauce Casserole
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 to 2 1/2 pounds beef tri-tip steak
1 cup bottled honey barbecue sauce
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish or baking dish and set it on the counter.
2. Lay the beef tri-tip steak in the casserole dish. Scatter the sliced onion around and partly over the meat. Stir together the honey barbecue sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper, then brush the mixture generously over the top of the raw beef.
3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, spoon a little of the sauce from the pan over the top, and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes more, or until the beef reaches your preferred doneness and is tender enough to slice.
4. Let the beef rest in the dish for 10 minutes before slicing across the grain. Spoon the onions and pan sauce over the slices and serve warm.
Variations & Tips
Add a little tang: If you like a sharper barbecue flavor, stir 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard or apple cider vinegar into the sauce before brushing it on the beef. That little touch helps balance the sweetness of honey barbecue sauce.
Make it heartier: Tuck halved small potatoes or thick carrot pieces around the tri-tip before baking for a one-dish meal. Be sure to coat the vegetables lightly with some of the sauce so they roast up flavorful and tender.
Watch the slicing: Tri-tip is at its best when sliced thinly across the grain. If you cut with the grain, the meat can seem much tougher than it truly is, so take a moment to look at the direction of the fibers before slicing.
Use the pan juices: Do not let those juices in the casserole dish go to waste. Spoon them over potatoes, noodles, or even a thick slice of bread, because that is where much of the savory onion-barbecue flavor settles.