Easy Crockpot Italian Beef and Potatoes Feel Good Meal

This crockpot Italian beef recipe is the ultimate comfort food.

Kent and I make it a priority for all of us to eat together as a family as often as possible. Sadly, we know that our time is limited before our kids are grown and gone, and we want to enjoy these moments as much as possible until then.  But some nights it just doesn't work. Last night we were running kids around and knew we'd be eating at different times, so I pulled out my crock pots and threw together a couple of easy recipes for a hot “feel good” meal — everyone loves this crockpot Italian beef recipe served with creamy mashed potatoes.  And what makes it even better, you can start with frozen solid beef!  (I always forget to get meat out ahead of time.)

Print Recipe

Crockpot Italian Beef Recipe and Mashed Potatoes 

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Kelly the Kitchen Kop

Ingredients

• Grass fed round steak , frozen is fine -- they say about 1 pound/person, but we like extra for leftovers (Here's where to find safe, healthy meat online if you don't have a good local source.)
• Extra beef bones from the farm if your round steak doesn't have a bone
• A splash of raw apple cider vinegar
• A few cloves of fresh garlic chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried garlic powder)
• 1 onion chopped (or some dried onion)
• 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning (add more to your own taste)

Mashed potato ingredients:

• 1-2 organic potatoes/person , peeled and cut into chunks
• 8 ounces organic cream cheese
• About 3/4 cup milk or cream --never buy ultra-pasteurized! -- you made need a little more if the potatoes are too thick
• About 8 ounces pastured butter
• Sea salt and pepper

Thickening:

• About 6 Tablespoons flour of your choice (einkorn flour or unbleached white flour) OR 1 Tablespoon arrowroot flour for a gluten-free option + 1/2 cup water

Instructions

• In my bigger (7 quart) crock-pot I put in frozen solid grass fed round steak at about 9:00 am and turn it on high. If your round steak has a bone in it you're all set for some good broth, if not add extra beef bones. If yours isn't frozen, you can first brown it (fry it) on both sides in some bacon fat or butter which will give it even more flavor.
• Throw in the garlic, onion, and Italian seasonings.  Add water just to cover the meat, along with a splash of vinegar, so it will make a good, healthy broth as it cooks. (Vinegar draws the minerals out of the bones.) Cook all day to get the meat nice and tender and flavorful.  This makes the house smell SO good!
• You can make the mashed potatoes ahead too:  boil potatoes until tender, drain, mash with milk or cream--just a little at a time to get the consistency you like, along with the cream cheese, butter, sea salt and pepper (taste-test until it's just right, yum!).  Now you can put these into another smaller crock-pot on low, or just wait and make these closer to mealtime. Save dishes by doing everything right in your Instant Pot!
• Right before eating, if you'd like your broth more like a gravy instead of like a soup (but it's delicious either way), just mix up the flour or arrowroot with cold water until it makes a semi-thick paste.  Add some hot broth slowly into this mixture and keep whisking, then add all of that back into the broth. (You're basically bringing the temp of the mixture up before putting it all in, this will minimize any clumps.)
• Serve side-by-side in bowls, along with sea salt and pepper so everyone can add more to their own taste preference.  You could serve it with some roasted veggies or some fruit and you're done!  Or you could also make some homemade bread for extra yummy-liciousness.
• Any leftover meat and broth can be made into a vegetable beef soup the next day.

This is easy and fast! I love it when my family can come home to the delicious smell of a home-cooked meal like this crockpot Italian beef recipe.

Here's a similar recipe: Italian Beef Crock Pot Recipe {With or Without a Bun}

Need to make this recipe FASTER?

• Try making it in a pressure cooker!  Or check out my top ten ways to use a pressure cooker.

• Are Pressure Cookers Safe to Cook with?

Please like and share this recipe, thank you.  🙂

More you might like:

• More simple crock pot meals
• Easy recipes for Hamburger Helper alternatives
• Healthy & tasty waffles/pancakes
• Meatless/Vegetarian/Lenten Meal Ideas
• Have you heard of Weston A. Price?

Meal Planning Help!

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