Beef olives are a classic comfort food that have been around for centuries. Traditionally made by wrapping thin slices of beef around a savory filling like sausage or breadcrumbs these meat rolls are simmered in a flavorful sauce until tender and delicious.
While beef olives are often braised in the oven, they can easily be adapted for the slow cooker. Cooking them low and slow results in beef that is fall-apart tender and infused with flavor. The slow cooker does all the work for you, making beef olives an easy weeknight dinner.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to cook beef olives in a slow cooker along with tips for making the tastiest beef olives every time.
Benefits of Cooking Beef Olives in a Slow Cooker
There are several advantages to using a slow cooker for beef olives:
-
Convenience: Simply assemble the beef olives in the morning and let them cook all day. Dinner is ready when you walk in the door.
-
Tender meat: The long, slow cooking time helps break down the collagen in the beef, resulting in meat that falls apart at the touch of a fork.
-
Intensified flavor: As the beef olives simmer, the sauce reduces down and absorbs into the meat, amplifying the flavor.
-
Juicy beef: The moist heat environment of the slow cooker prevents the beef from drying out.
-
Easy clean up: With just the slow cooker insert to wash, cleanup is a breeze. No messy oven to scrub!
Tips for Making Beef Olives in the Slow Cooker
Follow these tips to ensure your beef olives turn out perfectly cooked and full of flavor:
-
Use thin slices of beef. Flank steak, bottom or top round, or sirloin tip are good inexpensive options. Cut beef across the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices.
-
Season the beef. Rub the slices with salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs/spices before rolling around the filling.
-
Choose a flavorful filling. Sausage, bacon, mushrooms, cheese, breadcrumbs, etc make tasty fillings. For extra flavor, sauté aromatics like onion and garlic first.
-
Roll up tightly. Tie each beef olive closed with kitchen string to prevent the filling from falling out during cooking.
-
Brown the beef. Quickly searing the beef olives before slow cooking adds flavor and color.
-
Use a flavorful braising liquid. Beef or chicken stock, wine, tomatoes, and herbs create a delicious sauce.
-
Cook on low. Cooking for 6-8 hours on low yields the most tender, flavorful beef olives.
-
Let rest before serving. Allowing the beef olives to rest for 10 minutes makes them easier to slice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Now let’s walk through how to make beef olives in a slow cooker, step-by-step:
Prep the Ingredients
-
Cut 1-1.5 lbs beef (flank, round, sirloin tip) across the grain into thin 1/4 inch slices. Pat the beef dry and season all over with salt and pepper.
-
Make your filling. Good options include sausage, bacon, mushrooms, cheese, breadcrumbs, etc. For extra flavor, sauté onion, garlic, herbs first.
-
Chop vegetables like onion, carrots, celery for the braising liquid.
Assemble the Beef Olives
-
Lay a slice of beef on a work surface. Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling at one short end of the beef.
-
Tightly roll up the beef around the filling, tucking in the sides as you go. Secure with kitchen string.
-
Repeat with remaining beef and filling. Season the beef olives all over with additional salt, pepper, and herbs.
Brown the Beef Olives
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, add beef olives and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.
Transfer to the Slow Cooker
-
Place the seared beef olives in the slow cooker insert. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and any other aromatics to the insert.
-
Whisk together 2 cups beef or chicken broth, 1/4 cup wine or juice, and herbs. Pour the braising liquid over the beef olives.
Cook on Low
- Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low, until beef is very tender. Taste the braising liquid and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Finish and Serve
-
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef olives to a serving platter. Cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
-
Meanwhile, use an immersion blender to purée the braising liquid into a sauce.
-
Remove kitchen string from beef olives. Serve drizzled with the sauce and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
The possibilities are endless when making beef olives in the slow cooker. Try these tasty variations:
-
Use ground beef or sausage as the filling.
-
Stuff with spinach, roasted red peppers, and feta.
-
Opt for a Mexican-inspired filling like chorizo, black beans, corn, and cilantro.
-
Make Italian-style beef olives with salami, provolone, and sun-dried tomatoes.
-
For Greek beef olives, use a spinach and feta filling and lemon juice braising liquid.
-
Stuff with mushrooms, caramelized onions, garlic, and thyme.
-
Instead of braising, cook in bbq sauce for pulled beef olives.
FAQs
Can I cook beef olives from frozen?
Yes, frozen beef olives can go straight into the slow cooker, no thawing required. Just add 1-2 hours to the cook time.
Do I need to sear the beef olives?
It’s not mandatory, but searing adds nice caramelized flavor. If you don’t want to sear them, coat the raw beef olives in flour before slow cooking.
Do beef olives need liquid to cook in the slow cooker?
Yes, you need moisture to braise the beef olives. Use broth, wine, tomatoes, beer, etc. The liquid reduces to a sauce as it cooks.
My beef olives came out dry/tough. What did I do wrong?
This likely means they overcooked. Next time, cut beef even thinner, cook for less time, and use more liquid to keep them moist.
Can I cook beef olives on high?
Yes, but cooking 4-5 hours on high may result in drier, less tender beef compared to low. Check for doneness early.
How do I thicken the sauce?
Stir in a cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken and let cook 5 more minutes before serving.
The Perfect Slow Cooker Beef Olives
With this complete guide, you’ll be able to cook restaurant-quality beef olives at home with ease. The slow cooker does all the work while you go about your day. Just be prepared for the incredible aroma of tender, braised beef olives when you walk in the door. This classic comfort food is sure to become a new family favorite!