Beef Gravy Over Bread Slow Cooker

Beef Gravy Over Bread Slow Cooker. This simple slow cooker beef gravy uses just five pantry staples to make a warm, hearty meal. Tender beef chunks cook low and slow in a rich, creamy mushroom sauce, then get spooned over soft bread for a filling, old-fashioned supper the whole family will love.

This is the kind of meal I make when the pantry is almost empty but I still want something hot and filling on the table. It comes from the old days when people had to make a little food go a long way. A small amount of beef, some canned soup, and a few simple ingredients come together in the slow cooker to make a thick, rich gravy that tastes like you worked on it all day. You just drop everything in, put the lid on, and let it do its thing. By dinner time, the meat is soft and the gravy is perfect for pouring over bread.

Spoon this beef gravy over thick slices of soft white or wheat bread, toasted or plain, and let the bread soak up all that good sauce. You can add a side of frozen peas, green beans, or a simple salad to round out the meal. Mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles also go great if you want to feed more people. A bowl of applesauce or some sliced fruit on the side adds a little sweetness next to the salty, savory gravy.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, do not add water or milk
• 1 cup water or beef broth
• 1 packet (1 ounce) onion soup mix
• 8 slices sandwich bread, white or wheat, for serving

Beef Gravy Over Bread: Directions

1. Put your slow cooker on a flat, heat-safe spot on the counter where it can sit safely while it cooks.
2. Open both cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup and pour them straight into the slow cooker. Do not mix in any milk or water. You want the soup thick right now.
3. Use a spoon to spread the soup out so it covers the whole bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.
4. In a small bowl or cup, stir together the water or beef broth and the onion soup mix. Keep stirring until most of the dry mix has dissolved into the liquid.
5. Pour the onion soup mixture slowly over the top of the condensed soup in the slow cooker. Do not stir it in yet. Just let it rest on top so the thick soup stays on the bottom.
6. With clean hands, place the raw beef cubes gently into the slow cooker one by one. Press each piece down a little into the thick soup so the meat is surrounded and covered by the mixture.
7. Once all the beef is in, use the back of a spoon to push down any pieces that are sticking up above the liquid. This helps every piece cook through evenly and stay nice and tender.
8. Put the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 and a half to 4 hours, until the meat is very soft and the sauce has turned into a thick gravy.
9. Halfway through cooking, lift the lid for just a moment and give everything a gentle stir from the bottom. Put the lid back on right away so the heat stays in. This helps the gravy come together smooth and well mixed.
10. When the beef is soft enough to break apart with a fork and the gravy is thick and bubbly, give it a quick taste. Add a small pinch of salt or pepper only if you need to, since the canned soup and mix are already pretty salty on their own.
11. Just before you are ready to eat, toast or warm the bread slices if you like. Place 2 slices of bread flat on each plate.
12. Spoon the hot beef and gravy right over the bread and let it soak in. Serve right away while everything is still hot and comforting.

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