Garlic Butter Beef Bites & Potatoes — Easy High-Protein Dinner Recipe
A cozy, satisfying meal of tender beef chunks and halved baby potatoes, all simmered in a luscious garlic-butter sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 1½ lb beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 lb baby potatoes, halved for consistent cooking
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for the garlic-butter mix)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup beef broth
- 1 tbsp olive oil, for searing
Instructions
Prep everything first. Trim and cube the beef into small, even pieces. Cut the baby potatoes in half so they cook through at the same rate as the meat.
(Optional) Soften the potatoes. If you want firmer timing control, boil the halved potatoes for 5 minutes to take the edge off; drain and set aside.
Brown the beef. Warm the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Work in batches if needed and brown the meat on all sides — this develops flavor and color. Transfer the browned pieces to your slow cooker.
Mix the garlic-butter. In a small bowl, whisk melted butter with minced garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper until combined.
Assemble in the slow cooker. Add the potatoes to the cooker, tuck the seared beef on top, pour the garlic-butter mixture over everything, then pour in the beef broth. Give it a gentle stir to distribute the sauce.
Slow-cook. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the beef is easily pierced with a fork and the potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
Rest and serve. Let the dish sit for about 10 minutes with the lid off before serving so the sauce settles and flavors concentrate.
Notes
- Swap the beef for boneless chicken thighs (reduce cooking time) or use a fattier cut like chuck for extra richness.
- Add root veg like carrots or parsnips for more color and sweetness — toss them in at the start or halfway through depending on size.
- To cut fat, use less butter or skim excess fat from the cooking liquid before serving.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove a cup of liquid at the end, whisk in a cornstarch slurry on the stove, then return it to the pot.
