Slow Cooker Braising Steak (Braised Beef Steaks)

On the way back from work, do you fantasise about a hearty, warming meal that requires almost no time to make? We know the feeling... When it's cold outside and the autumn is in full swing, there is nothing better than a lovely slow cooker beef meal that is waiting for you on the side of the kitchen worktop. One of our cold evening favourites is a Maroccan-Spiced Slow Cooker Braising Steak served with fluffy couscous or rice.

Jump to:

• Why We Love This Slow Cooked Beef Recipe?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• What is Braising Steak? How to Cook It?
• How to Make Braised Steak Without Slow Cooker? 
• How to Cook Braising Steak in Slow Cooker? 
• What If My Sauce Isn't Thick Enough? 
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage
• Recipe FAQs
• Other Beef Recipes
• Slow Cooker Braising Steak with Moroccan Spices

Nothing is more satisfying than coming home to a delicious cooked meal that you had very little to do with! And that's why we love slow cookers! Our favourite slow cooker recipes include Slow Cooker Curried Sausages, Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder, Duck Leg Confit, delicious Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork and Korean-Style Beef Short Ribs! Oh, and our new favourite - Slow Cooker Goulash!

Why We Love This Slow Cooked Beef Recipe?

Seb gets the same Christmas present from his employer every year. It's a voucher for a local butcher that has to be redeemed by the end of January. Paradoxically, on the last day of the Veganuary, we head to the butcher's and fill our fridge and freezer with meat that normally sees us through to the summer months. 

One of the things that we got this year was Braising Steak. Having done a quick recipe search online, I wasn't thrilled. All the recipes were mainly for pies or cooked in simple onion gravy, and I was adamant about getting more flavour in this steak dinner. 

I wanted something that would fill our house with the aroma of spices, something with a bit of heat and possibly a bit of fruity sweetness. Something like Moroccan tagine. Except with beef. And without a tagine dish. Made in a slow cooker. 

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And here it is... our tender, almost melt-in-the-mouth Moroccan beef steaks with a bit of an attitude from harissa and a lot of aromas from coriander and cinnamon. 

• It is the ultimate comfort food. 
• It's perfect for a busy day when you cannot be bothered to cook after work. 
• Great for batch cooking and meal prep, as the recipe freezes beautifully and can be reheated in a microwave. 
• A truly warming dish on a cold winter night!

If you're keen, let's get into the technical bits of this braising steak recipe.  

Ingredients and Substitutes

All you will need for this delicious and aromatic slow-cooked beef dish are below:

• olive oil: or other oil of your preference. 
• braising steak: we used two flat steaks, but you can use other cuts of meat like cubed beef steak, chuck roast (chuck steak) or stewing beef. 
• onions: red, brown or white onions will work just fine.   
• garlic cloves: may be replaced with garlic powder. 
• ginger: peeled and cut into slivers. 
• spices: ground cinnamon and ground coriander. 
• harissa: may be replaced with your favourite hot sauce, or tomato puree if you don't like things spicy.  
• ground almonds: also known as almond flour. 
• hot stock: you may use stock cubes, stock pot, or homemade beef broth. Ideally, choose beef stock, but chicken or vegetable stock will work too. 
• bay leaf (optional). 
• dried apricots: may be replaced with sultanas.

If you fancy adding extra veggies, bell peppers, sweet potato and butternut squash go particularly well!

Find the ingredient quantities, detailed instructions and nutritional information in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

What is Braising Steak? How to Cook It?

Braising Steak is a general name for different cuts of beef that benefit from long slow cooking. Cooked this way, this affordable cut of beef becomes extremely tender (almost melt-in-the-mouth, provided you cook it for a long time) and the juices from the meat normally form part of the sauce. 

The best beef cuts for braising are the ones that have 'marbling' - lines of fat going through the piece of meat. The marbling ensures the meat doesn't dry out in the long cooking process and the meat stays tender. Normally, the cuts that are perfect for braising are the less expensive cuts - chuck, skirt and leg are amongst the cheapest. Flank steak or shoulder of beef can also be used and will result in an extremely tender finished result. 

The simplest way to cook a braising steak is to sear it on high heat in a pan for a couple of minutes on each side (this will help preserve the moisture in the meat as well as give it rich flavour). Then place it in the slow cooker or a casserole dish (if you're cooking in the oven, details below). Chop up some vegetables, such as onions, carrots or potatoes and chuck them in with the steaks. Pour enough stock to cover and cook!

Long and slow cooking method means that you can add flavour that will seep into the meat and really enhance the flavour. This can be a blessing or a curse since your steak will infuse with all the flavours that you put with it. I personally, like strong bold flavours, and I push them to the limit. But if you are more of a traditionalist and would like the main flavour to be beef, go easy on any flavourings in the braising liquid.

How to Make Braised Steak Without Slow Cooker? 

1. On the stove: If you don't have a slow cooker (which we highly recommend getting), you can make this meal on the stove. After searing the steak and cooking your onion and spice mix, put the steaks back in the pan. Pour the stock over. Add the bay leaves, cover and cook for about 1 hour. After an hour, remove take the lid and simmer gently for another 1-2 hours. Check once in a while and add more stock or a splash of water to ensure nothing burns on the bottom. Your beef should pull apart easily with two forks. If that's not the case, cook for another 30 minutes. 5 minutes before the steaks are cooked, add the apricots. Remove the bay leaves before serving. 
2. In the oven: Preheat the oven to 150°C Fan. After searing the steaks and making your onion and spice mixture, place everything in a casserole dish or dutch oven with a matching lid. Pour the stock over, add the bay leaves and cover with a lid. Place the dish in a preheated oven and cook for 3 hours, checking after 2 hours and adding more stock if needed. 

How to Cook Braising Steak in Slow Cooker? 

First thing in the morning (or approx 10 hours before serving) heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Season the steaks with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Sear your braising steak for about 1 min on each side, then move the steak into your slow cooker.

Into the same pan, add a tablespoon of oil, finely chopped onions, ginger and garlic and place on low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, then add ground coriander, cinnamon, harissa and ground almond and cook for another minute, stirring. Scrape the onions with all the browned bits onto your braising steaks in the slow cooker, and pour the hot stock over. Add bay leaves and cook on low for 8-10 hours (or 5-6 hours on high). 

About 30 minutes before the meat is cooked, add the apricots.

Serve the braised steaks with a generous helping of delicious gravy and rice or couscous garnished with fresh herbs! But if you're looking for something slightly unconventional, try it with our Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough - the flavours in this bread complement the braised steak beautifully! 

What If My Sauce Isn't Thick Enough? 

If you're cooking this recipe in the oven or a slow cooker, it is likely that not enough liquid has evaporated during the cooking process and your sauce is on the thin side. There are two good ways to fix this: 

1. Mix a teaspoon of cornflour with a tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Take the steaks out of the slow cooker and cover them to keep them warm. Pour the sauce into a pan and place it on medium heat, then stir in the cornflour mixture. Heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. If you've cooked your steaks in the oven in a heatproof dish suitable for cooking on the stove, you can remove the steaks and place the casserole dish directly on the hob (make sure your dish is suitable for it!) and thicken your sauce with cornflour in the same dish. 
2. You can thicken the sauce with ground almond (fine almond flour works best). Simply put your sauce on medium heat and add a teaspoon of ground almond at a time, stir for a minute, and judge the consistency. Continue until you reach the desired consistency. Your sauce will have a bit more texture and will be more filling, but I find it makes this dish even more delicious!

Serving Suggestions

This slow cooker beef stew pairs well with a whole variety of delicious side dishes: Western Style, Noth African and Asian. Serve it on a bed of white rice, cous cous or mashed potatoes (or swede and carrot mash) to soak up all the rich gravy. Traditional roast potatoes will also go well with braising steak. 

Moreover, serve the tender beef with some green vegetables, like garden peas, green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar reduction. 

Storage

Cool any leftovers to room temperature. Then store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days, and reheat on low heat on the stove or in a microwave until piping hot. 

Alternatively, freeze the braised steak in individual portions to have a quick great meal when you're short on time. 

Recipe FAQs

Other Beef Recipes

If you like a substantial beef dinner on chilly winter nights, have a look at some other great recipes below:

• Crispy Chilli Beef
• Slow Cooker Beef Massaman Curry
• Traditional Beef Stroganoff 
• Cuban Ropa Vieja
• Beef Giniling (Filipino Beef Recipe)