Slow Cooker Caramelized Mushroom Sirloin Tip Roast
This Slow Cooker Sirloin Tip Roast with mushrooms and onions is simple to make but has enough flavor to make it the star of any dinner table (even a holiday)!
Slow Cooker Sirloin Tip Roast
Today's roast is great for a crowd because it transforms a more inexpensive cut of meat into a tender and juicy main event.
Even better?
You make this roast in your crock pot, meaning it's a "set it and forget it" deal, leaving your oven and stove-top free for other dishes.
We're using a sirloin tip roast here, but you could also use a top round roast.
The sirloin tip is just a cut away from the sirloin, so it is a pretty tender cut of meat. This means that it doesn't need extended braising time like a round (rump) roast does.
However, it is also a lean roast, which means it is best when cooked to medium rare and sliced against the grain.
At what temperature is a sirloin tip roast done?
We're cooking the roast to get it up to a medium rare done-ness, roughly 135⁰F internally.
(If you'd prefer medium, you will want to cook it to 145F internally, but we'd really recommend keeping this roast below 140F for the best flavor.)
When taking the temperature of a roast as it cooks, be sure to remember that as the roast sets, prior to serving, it will continue to cook, bringing it up another 5-10 degrees, depending on the size of your roast.
So, we'll be taking this roast out of the slow cooker at around 130F. Then, we'll tent it as it rests and the temperatures even off.
For more great tips on creating the perfect roast, check out our Keys To The Perfect Roast Beef article.
How to check the temperature of a slow cooker roast
As we mentioned above, you will want to be checking the temperature of your roast. Different butchers cut their roast differently.
If your roast is thinner, it will cook more quickly. If it is thicker, it will take longer to cook.
The times we list are approximate. They have worked for us with the beef we have used. But, since we can't see your roast, the thermometer is really the only way to make sure your roast turns out the way you want it to.
We recommend an instant-read thermometer, like this one from ThermoWorks. We are an affiliate, but we loved their thermometers way before we started promoting them.
Even better is an in-oven probe thermometer. This thermometer can monitor the temperature of your roast as it cooks (in the oven, or slow cooker). You can even set an alarm for a desired temperature. It is a must if you cook a lot of roasts (or birds) and want to ensure that your meat always turns out at the perfect temperature.
Some slow cookers come with a probe thermometer and you can set them to sound an alarm at your desired temperature. This would be a perfect time to use that feature as well.
If you don't have a fancy thermometer, don't worry. Any kitchen thermometer will do. Just be sure you're taking that roast's temperature if you want the perfect roast!
Wine pairing with our Mushroom Sirloin Tip Roast Recipe
If you're serving this roast for a special occasion, don't forget the wine!
We're incredibly excited to be pairing today's roast with Lewis Station Winery's Dry County Cabernet Sauvignon.
This is a pretty special wine. Do you want to know why?
They aged this Cabernet with charred Jack Daniels oak.
Yup. We're talking whiskey and wine here folks. And, it's as amazing as it sounds.
If you're a whiskey drinker, you will be able to taste the whiskey and charcoal notes of this wine immediately.
This is an incredibly smooth wine with a lot of flavor. A perfect warming, winter drink.
And, let me tell you, this roast and the Dry County Cabernet Sauvignon are a match made in heaven.
The beef and mushrooms accentuate the smoothness of the wine, bringing out the juiciness of the grapes and the sweet notes from the oak and whiskey. And the sweetness from the caramelized onions holds onto the fiery sensation that you crave from a whiskey, bringing a perfect balance to this pairing.
Slow Cooker Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Roast
This Slow Cooker Sirloin Tip Roast with mushrooms and onions is simple to make but has enough flavor to make it the star of any dinner table!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 onions, quartered and sliced
- 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 lb sirloin tip beef roast, trimmed of excess fat, if necessary
- 2 c beef broth (we prefer low sodium), slightly warmed
- ¼ c Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ c soy sauce
- ¼ c unbleached all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat butter. Add onions and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly caramelized, 7-10 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and sauté until heated, 2-3 min. Transfer the onion mixture to the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Place the roast into the hot pan. Increase the heat to high and sear the meat on all sides, 1-2 minutes per side, to lock in the juices. Once the meat is seared, nestle the meat over the onion mixture in the slow cooker.
- Reduce the stove-top heat to medium and add the warm beef broth to the hot pan. Scrape the suck bits from the pan while the broth simmers. Add the Worcestershire and soy sauce to the broth, mixing to combine. Pour the warm broth mixture over the meat in the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook your roast on low heat for 3-5 hours. (The thickness of your roast will directly impact cooking time. If your roast is thin (under 2 inches), expect it to cook quickly (it may even cook in 2 hours). If it is thicker, it will take longer.
- In not using an in-roast probe thermometer, check the roast after 2 hours, and again every hour by inserting a thermometer into the center of the thickest part of the roast. (Better yet, if you have an in-oven probe thermometer or a sensor thermometer for your slow cooker, you can set it for 130F.) You are looking for an internal temperature of 130F for a medium rare roast (of 140F for a medium roast).
- Once the roast has reached the desired temperature, remove it from the slow cooker to your serving dish, along with the onions and mushrooms. Cover it with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. (The temperature should continue to increase 5-10 degrees as it rests.)
- Transfer the remaining cooking juices into a saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Slowly sift ¼ cup of flour into the warm juice, whisking constantly to thicken into a smooth sauce. Continue to simmer the mixture, whisking occasionally until it thickens into a gravy, 10-15 min.
- Serve the roast, sliced thin against the grain, and veggies topped with the gravy, as desired.
- Leftovers, make great sandwiches!
Notes
This recipe can easily be halved to serve a smaller crowd (6-8). Cook a 2 lb roast for 1.5-2 hours on low. (Cooking a smaller roast can be a bit tricky, depending on its thickness. A thinner roast (under 2 inches thick) will cook more quickly than a thicker roast (over 2 inches thick) will.
We updated this recipe from 2014 in 2022. Some readers were having trouble with the roast coming out dry. We have done some additional recipe testing and adjusted cooking times (and updated our pictures). However, we can not stress enough the importance of a thermometer for this roast! If your roast is thinner or thicker than the one we used, due to the nature of the slow cooker, it will cook differently.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Amount Per Serving: Calories: 439
This is one of the recipes from the early days of Curious Cuisiniere. We've updated our pictures since we first shared it, but we've left some originals here, in case you've found us in the past and are looking for that old, familiar image. (This roast came out a bit more well-done than medium-well. As happens, that time we made it life got in the way, we didn't have an in-oven probe thermometer, and we ended up taking our roast out of the crock pot when it was closer to 160⁰F, so our final roast had just crested the well-done mark. But, you don't have to worry if you overcook the roast, because, even well-done, this roast is super tasty!)
Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
Like other comments my roast was extremely overdone and dry after only 2 hours on low…I now have it braising in some beef broth to hopefully save the meat… on the other hand the onions and mushrooms (although overcooked as well) had delicious flavour! Would definitely make this again but with way less cook time 🙂
Hi Angella. Thank you for sharing, and we're sorry about your experience. I am not sure why some have trouble with this roast turning out dry and others think it's fantastic. Two hours is barely enough time for a slow cooker to get up to full temperature, there's really no way it should dry out a roast in that time. Most other slow cooker sirloin tip recipes around the web have you go 4+ hours with a 2-3 lb roast. We will do some testing with this recipe to see if we can figure out why some people's roasts are coming out dry.
Could you tell us what size roast and what size slow cooker you used?
Does this come out tender?
Hi Phyllis. Sirloin tip isn't the most tender when it comes to roasts. It won't pull apart after cooking, if that's what you're looking for. But, if you slice it thin across the grain, yes, the result is a nicely tender finished product.
The cooking time is WAY too long. I used a 2 lb. sirloin tip roast which your recipe says will need 5-6 hours on low. I checked it after 4 hours on low and the meat is tough, grey, and horribly overcooked. The meat thermometer immediately zoomed up to 170. I have no idea what to do with this shoe-leather meat. Cook it more? Shred it for tacos? A slow cooker recipe should not need frequent checking. Please test and adjust your recipe. Never had any trouble with other slow cooker recipes or my slow cooker. The meat came from a CSA, so it's lean, but still....
We're sorry you had trouble with our recipe. We have adjusted the time for the smaller roast in the notes. A smaller cut of meat can be tricky in the slow cooker, and it is always best to check it often, since it will cook more quickly.
This was a hit! It was even a hit with my fussy hubby. Will make this again. Thank you
So glad you all enjoyed the roast Annie!
Tasty, but in my slow cooker on low it was done (past medium well) in two hours. Be sure to check it
Thanks for your note Greg. Your slow cooker must heat up fast, since most slow cookers would just barely be getting up to temperature after 2 hours on low. But, you do make a good point that checking the roast is key to getting your desired doneness. Glad you enjoyed it!
Such an awesome recipe! thank you! Made it and it was delicious 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the roast recipe April!
Oh YUM! Can't wait to try this one!
I'm in search of crock pot recipes...this sounds delicious!
We love roast in the crock pot at our house, but I never thought to do caramelized onions and mushrooms with it! My husband would love this.
this looks delicious!
Dinner tonight!!