Easy Tender Garlic Butter Beef

This easy garlic butter beef is one of those cozy weeknight dinners that feels special without much effort. Everything cooks in a single skillet (a cast-iron one works great), the beef turns perfectly tender, and the buttery garlic sauce comes together quickly over medium heat. It’s simple, comforting, and always a family favorite.

If you’re into cozy beef dinners with rich sauces, you might also love my easy beef stroganoff.

If you love cozy one-pan dinners like this, you can browse more favorites in my one-pan dinner recipes collection.

The result is incredibly flavorful beef with a rich, buttery sauce that coats every piece.

I usually serve this on quiet evenings, when there’s no rush and dinner can take its time. The sauce turns silky, the beef becomes fork-tender, and it all feels calm and cozy by the time it’s ready. It’s the kind of easy comfort food recipe you’ll want to keep in your back pocket for busy weeks.

The slow simmer is what really makes this work. The onions melt into the sauce, the butter stays rich and smooth, and the beef has time to relax instead of tightening up. Nothing is rushed, and the flavors come together naturally as everything cooks.

• The beef turns soft and tender with a slow, gentle simmer (no extra steps needed).
• Butter, garlic, and onions create a rich, comforting sauce.
• Everything cooks gently in one pan with very little attention.
• I usually serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, or try it as a full one-pan meal like this beef and rice skillet.

Easy Tender Garlic Butter Beef (Slow Simmered)

This recipe is all about letting time do the work. Instead of frying or searing, the beef gently simmers with onions, butter, and garlic until it becomes incredibly tender and flavorful.

No fancy equipment and no babysitting the pan. Just a cozy, buttery beef dinner that tastes like you worked a lot harder than you did.

My favorite way to serve it is over mashed potatoes with extra sauce spooned on top – but rice (or noodles) works just as well.

Ingredient Notes

• Beef. Go for chuck, shoulder, or stew beef. These tougher cuts shine with slow cooking and turn perfectly tender.
• Butter. Unsalted butter lets you control the seasoning and creates that rich, glossy sauce.
• Garlic. Yes, it’s a lot – and yes, it’s worth it. The garlic mellows as it cooks and gives the sauce its signature flavor.
• Salt. I usually season this with kosher salt, but any good-quality salt works.
• Onions. They soften, sweeten, and practically melt into the sauce.
• Vinegar. Just a splash to balance the richness and wake everything up.
• Parsley. Optional, but highly recommended for a fresh finish.
• Equipment: A large, deep skillet works best here. A cast-iron skillet is great, but any heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven with a lid will work.

This recipe is also a great option for busy weeknights when you want something comforting without a lot of hands-on time. The best way to get tender, flavorful beef here is to keep the heat at a steady medium heat and let the cook time do the work.

This butter beef recipe works best with tougher cuts like chuck or stew beef. These cuts have more connective tissue, which breaks down during slow cooking and creates incredibly tender, flavorful beef.

What Is the Best Cut of Beef to Use?

For this recipe, you want a cut that actually likes long, gentle cooking. Beef chuck, shoulder, or stew beef are ideal because they break down slowly and become melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Lean cuts might sound tempting, but they tend to dry out here — save them for quick cooking instead.

How to Make Garlic Butter Beef

This is one of those “get it in the pan and let it do its thing” recipes. Here’s how it goes:

Prepare the beef: Trim off any excess surface fat and cut the beef into large, even chunks. Bigger pieces stay juicier during the long simmer.

Arrange the beef: Place the beef in a large, deep skillet or heavy pot in a single layer.

Add the onions: Scatter the sliced onions over the beef. As they cook, they’ll soften and form the base of the sauce.

Add butter and water: Place pieces of unsalted butter on top of the onions and pour in the water. No need to stir yet. The steam will do the work as everything starts to simmer.

Cover and simmer: Cover the pan and set it over medium-low heat until you see a calm, gentle simmer. Then keep it low and cook for about 1 hour. You want gentle bubbling, not a hard boil.

Add garlic and seasonings: Uncover, add the garlic, salt, sugar, pepper, and vinegar, then gently stir.

Keep cooking: Cover again and simmer for another hour, or until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce looks silky and glossy.

Finish and serve: Take the pan off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then sprinkle with parsley right before serving. It brightens everything up and makes that buttery sauce taste even better.

It’s a comforting meal that works especially well for busy weeknights.

Tips for Best Results:

• Let the beef sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before cooking so it simmers more evenly.
• Keep the heat low – a gentle simmer is key.
• If the sauce reduces too much, add a small splash of water and stir gently.

Cooking this beef over low to medium heat is key. A gentle simmer gives the meat plenty of time to soften without drying out, and it helps the sauce stay smooth and glossy instead of breaking.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The butter sauce thickens slightly as it chills, but loosens up beautifully when reheated gently on the stove.

Want to change it up? A little fresh thyme or rosemary near the end is lovely. And if you like a tiny tang, stir in a small spoon of Dijon mustard right before serving.

Quick questions

Do I need to brown the beef first?
Nope. This recipe is built for a low-and-slow simmer, so you can skip browning and still end up with tender, flavorful beef.

How do I know it’s done?
The beef should be fork-tender – soft, not chewy. For most cuts, that’s around 2 hours of gentle simmering, and the sauce will look glossy and rich.

What should I serve with garlic butter beef?
Mashed potatoes are my favorite, but rice or noodles work great too. And if you’ve got crusty bread, don’t skip it – the sauce is the best part.

How do I store leftovers?
Let everything cool, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

How do I reheat it without drying it out?
Warm it slowly on the stove over low heat with a splash of water or beef broth. Keep it gentle – low and slow is the move here.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can adapt it. Keep the beef in a single layer as best you can at the start, then cook low and slow until fork-tender. (I don’t recommend ground beef here – tougher cuts give the best texture.)

Looking for another cozy beef dinner? This creamy ground beef and mushroom sauce is a quick, weeknight-friendly option when you don’t have time for a long simmer.