In this crockpot recipe, rich steak tips are slow-cooked until they become fall-apart tender and glazed with beautiful teriyaki flavors that have just the right balance of salty and sweet. Teriyaki sauce and beef are magical partners, and in the slow cooker, they turn into an irresistibly flavorful Asian-inspired dish. This teriyaki beef is perfect when scooped over cooked rice (white, brown, basmati, or jasmine) to catch all of the delicious sauce.

This crock pot teriyaki beef goes beautifully alongside Simple Stir-Fried Vegetables, Slaw with Miso-Ginger Dressing, Sautéed Broccoli, or a Kale Crunch Salad.

Ingredients

• Cornstarch – To thicken the sauce.
• Soy sauce – I like to use low-sodium soy sauce to control the salt level.
• Light or dark brown sugar – For a carmalized sweetness. You can also sub in honey.
• Mirin – For acidity and depth of flavor.
• Vegetable or canola oil – For searing the beef.
• Beef tip steaks – Check out the note below for more info on choosing beef steak for this recipe.

Beef Steak Tips

You may see beef steak tips called sirloin steak tips, beef tip steaks, or tri-tip steaks (they sure do have lots of names) in the market. They are a part of the sirloin and are noted as a good value for a tender cut of beef.

This teriyaki-ish take was greeted with a vigorous thumbs up. Actually, especially from the dog who doesn’t even have actual opposable thumbs. All in all, this recipe is a keeper and a good reason to keep your slow cooker on a more accessible shelf.

How to Make Crockpot Teriyaki Beef

1. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water until the cornstarch is dissolved. Whisk in the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, cornstarch, and mirin (if using). Set aside.
2. Sear the beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the steak for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and add them to the slow cooker.
3. Sauté the vegetables: In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and turn the heat to medium. Sauté the onions and garlic for about 3 minutes, until slightly softened.

4. Slow-cook the beef: Stir the sauce and add it to the pan, and stir to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour the sauce over the meat in the slow cooker, and then set the slow cooker to high for 4 hours.

5. Serve: Dish the beef teriyaki into bowls over cooked rice, with the scallions sprinkled on top if desired. For a pretty presentation, sprinkle the cooked teriyaki beef with toasted sesame seeds along with sliced scallions (or green onions) before serving.

Instant Pot Variation

If you have an Instant Pot, you hopefully know that you can actually brown the meat in that appliance, then switch it to the slow cooker setting. Just brown the beef tips on the sauté setting, and set the beef aside. Then sauté the onions, add the garlic, and add the teriyaki mixture. Return the beef to the pot, change to the slow cooker setting, and set it to slow cook for 4 hours.

Storage

Store leftover teriyaki beef in an air-tight container in the fridge for about 1 week. Leftovers can be heated in the microwave just until warmed through or over low heat in a pot on the stove.

What to Serve With Slow Cooker Teriyaki Beef

Asian Bok Choy

Avocado Salad with Creamy Miso Dressing

Clean and Spicy Asian Greens

More Slow-Cooker Recipes

• Easy Slow Cooker Hot Pimento Cheese Dip
• Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
• Slow Cooker Barbecue Beer Beef Stew
• Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork
• Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef