My husband begs for this hearty dinner on cold nights. The meat is so tender you don’t even need a knife. Just 4 ingredients for the best gravy ever.

Servings: 6

3 pounds beef stew meat or beef sirloin tips, cut into 1- to 1½-inch chunks

Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a bit of butter or nonstick spray to make cleanup easier.

Scatter the sliced mushrooms evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker so they form a bed for the meat.

Place the beef tips on top of the mushrooms, spreading them out in an even layer so they cook uniformly.

In a medium bowl, stir together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and the dry onion soup mix until well combined. It will be thick and concentrated; that’s what makes the gravy so rich.

Pour the soup mixture over the beef tips, using a spatula to spread it so all the meat is coated. Do not add water—the mushrooms and beef will release enough liquid to create a glossy gravy as it cooks.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.

Once the beef is tender, gently stir the mixture to combine the beef, mushrooms, and gravy. Taste and, if you like, add a small pinch of salt or black pepper, but many folks find the onion soup mix seasons it plenty.

Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the beef tips sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the gravy thickens slightly. Serve hot, spooning generous amounts of beef and mushroom gravy over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.