Instructions

1. Season the beef with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the flour to a shallow plate and dredge the beef tips, tapping off the excess.
2. Spray a 6-8 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet and set over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on both sides until browned and then place in the slow cooker. Don’t add too many to the skillet at the same time or the beef won’t sear properly, you can also use two large skillets to make this step go faster. Repeat with the remaining beef, adding more oil if needed and then add to the slow cooker.
4. Drain the drippings from the skillet. Deglaze the skillet with the red wine, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce slightly and then pour into the slow cooker with the beef.
5. Pour the beef broth into the slow cooker. Sprinkle in the powdered gravy and onion soup mix and stir. Add the bay leaf on top and then cover and set on low for 7-8 hours and on high for 4 hours. Stir the beef once or twice in between the cooking time so that the gravy doesn’t stick to the sides or bottom of your slow cooker.
6. Check a piece of beef to see if it’s fork tender. If you like a thicker gravy, take the lid off the slow cooker let the gravy thicken as it cools for 30 minutes. Alternately, you can mix together a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and stir it into the slow cooker. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to thicken.
7. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles or creamy polenta.