Mushroom-Free Beef Tips

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• Sauce:
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic, or more to taste
• 2 cubes beef bouillon
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, or as needed

Step 1

In a bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Add the beef and toss it around so it’s well coated. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes, then drain off the marinade and set the beef aside.

Step 2

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and onions, cooking and stirring until the beef is nicely browned and the onions have softened and turned translucent—this should take about 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 3

While the beef is cooking, combine the water, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and beef bouillon in a pot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until the bouillon dissolves, which will take around 10 minutes.

Step 4

Scoop about 1/4 cup of the hot broth into a small bowl and whisk in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until smooth. Pour this mixture back into the pot and keep cooking, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Step 5

Finally, add the browned beef and onions along with any juices from the pan into the sauce. Give everything a good stir and let it warm through for a couple more minutes before serving.