Instructions

1. Season the beef tips 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 tips 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 tips, adding more oil when needed and place into the slow cooker.
4. Pour off all but 12 tablespoon of the drippings from the skillet. Deglaze the skillet with the red wine, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce for 1 minute and then pour into the slow cooker with the beef.
5. Pour the beef broth into a bowl. Add the powdered gravy and whisk until smooth. Pour into the slow cooker along with the onion soup mix and the bay leaf. Toss the beef gently, cover and set on low for 7-8 hours and on high for 3-4 hours. If available, stir the beef once or twice in between the cooking time so that the gravy doesn’t stick to the side of your slow cooker.
6. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles or creamy polenta.