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A cozy and filling comfort food recipe featuring tender beef stew meat slow-cooked with ranch dressing mix, brown gravy mix, butter, pepperoncinis, and frozen egg noodles, designed for two servings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb beef stew meat
  • 2 teaspoons ranch dressing mix
  • 2 teaspoons brown gravy mix
  • 4 teaspoons butter, sliced
  • 2 pepperoncinis
  • 1 1/4 cups beef broth
  • 1 1/2 cups Reames frozen egg noodles (kept frozen)

Instructions

  1. (Optional) Brown sear the beef stew meat in a hot skillet for extra flavor, then transfer to the slow cooker.
  2. Place 1 lb beef stew meat in the bottom of a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker in an even layer.
  3. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons ranch dressing mix and 2 teaspoons brown gravy mix evenly over the beef.
  4. Arrange 4 teaspoons sliced butter on top of the seasoned beef.
  5. Add 2 whole pepperoncinis on top (slice for more heat, if desired).
  6. Pour 1 1/4 cups beef broth around the edges, keeping the seasoning on top of the beef.
  7. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours (or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours) until the beef is fork-tender.
  8. (Optional) Remove the beef with tongs, shred on a cutting board, then return shredded beef to the slow cooker.
  9. Stir the beef and juices gently to combine.
  10. Add 1 1/2 cups frozen egg noodles, pressing them down so they are submerged in the liquid.
  11. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring once or twice, until noodles are tender; check after 30 minutes.
  12. If sauce is too thin after noodles cook, simmer uncovered on HIGH for 10–15 minutes to reduce or stir in a cornstarch slurry until thickened.
  13. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a splash of pepperoncini juice as desired.

Notes

Try not to peek while cooking on low to maintain heat and cooking time., Keep egg noodles frozen when adding to prevent mushy texture., For more spice, add more sliced pepperoncinis or a dash of hot sauce; for milder flavor, remove pepperoncinis before serving., If sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered or use a cornstarch slurry to thicken., Can add vegetables like mushrooms, peas, or carrots when stirring in noodles for extra nutrition., Substitute chuck roast or short ribs for stew meat; cook on low for 8 hours for tenderness., Swap brown gravy mix with cornstarch and onion powder; ranch mix can be replaced with Italian dressing mix for variation., Add shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese for a cheesy twist., Use cooked wide egg noodles or pappardelle instead of frozen noodles, but cook separately to avoid overcooking., Refrigerate leftovers in airtight container for 3-4 days; noodles soften over time., Freeze beef and sauce (without noodles) up to 3 months; add fresh or frozen noodles when reheating., Reheat gently on stovetop with extra beef broth or in microwave in short bursts, stirring., Can prep ahead by layering ingredients (except noodles) and refrigerate up to 24 hours before cooking and adding noodles.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://livacooks.com/crock-pot-mississippi-beef-noodles/