When I was growing up, every year my mom would make a special meal for me and my brother on our birthdays.
It was always our pick, and pretty consistently we both would choose our family favorite, Mom's homemade lasagna. As much as I enjoyed that meal, I can recall one year when I was about 12 years old that I opted against the lasagna and instead chose my mom's round steak. That should be a clue to how good the beef tips were.
As far as I know, it was her own recipe that she simmered in a skillet on top of the stove. Through the years, I've adopted the recipe that now is enjoyed by my husband and kids.
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Beef tips are shown with chopped onions, a combination of green and red peppers along with sliced fresh white button mushrooms. Beef tips can be made from any meat, but since you are going to be simmering it for up to an hour anyway, round steak is the most economical choice.
Beef tips can be made from any meat, but since you are going to be simmering it for up to an hour anyway, round steak is the most economical choice. It's always a much cheaper cut of beef, and of course, it is one that must be cooked slowly so it doesn't get tough. Any cook knows you never put round steak on the grill. (The tougher the meat, the longer it will need to be cooked.).
I like to prepare my beef tips with chopped onions, a combination of green and red peppers along with sliced fresh white button mushrooms. If you prefer, canned mushrooms are a fine substitute - just be sure to drain them first.
However, if you stick with the fresh mushrooms, a tip for keeping fresh mushrooms in your fridge longer is not to wash them until you are ready to use them. When you bring the mushrooms home from the market, remove the plastic wrap, but keep them in the cardboard or foam container. Re-wrap it with a long section of paper towel and place the container in a refrigerator crisper drawer.
Fact Box
Stove-top beef tips
Approx. 1 1/2 pounds round steak
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon meat tenderizer
Pinch of basil
Pinch of parsley
1 cup chopped green and / or red pepper
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 large onions, chopped
1 tablespoon beef bullion granules
Trim fat from round steak, and cut into small, approximately 1-inch cubes. Place in a large pan. Season with meat tenderizer and other spices above. Add chopped vegetables and season them again with garlic salt. Mix a tablespoon of beef bullion granules into 2 cups of hot water. Stir well, then add to pan.
Cover and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently, for about a half hour. As liquid reduces, you may need to add more water if the steak does not appear to be done. After it reduces again, it should be ready for serving.
They will stay fresh that way for at least a week or more.