Let’s get down to brass tacks; Santa is a busy man! He’s got to make sure the sleigh is packed up, double-check the Nice and Naughty lists, then fly around the world in a single night to drop off all the presents. No wonder he needs a full year to recover! During the holidays, you might find yourself feeling similarly overworked, and if that happens, dinner should make itself for you. That’s the power of Santa’s Helper Slow Cooker Beef! Imagine your slow cooker as a Christmas elf, working away while you get other things done until it produces a present your tastebuds will love: Tender, savory beef wrapped in succulent crispy bacon and infused with mustard and herbs. Served alongside a tangy balsamic glaze, Santa’s Helper Slow Cooker Beef ensures you can beef up for whatever the holidays can throw at you!
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds beef tenderloin, about 10-inches long, from the thick-end (butt beef tenderloin)
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 12 strips thick pepper bacon
- 1 small onion, sliced thin
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup beef stock
Directions
Step 1 –Season the tenderloin with the salt and the pepper thoroughly.
Step 2 –Lay the bacon strips out on a clean work surface, touching each other, creating a rectangular sheet of bacon.
Step 3 –Lay the whole tenderloin across the bacon and carefully wrap the bacon ends over the top, securing them with toothpicks.
Step 4 –Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat.
Step 5 –Place the whole tenderloin, toothpick-side down, in the skillet and cook until the bacon is browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Step 6 –Place the beef tenderloin in a large slow cooker, pouring the drippings over the top.
Step 7 –Place the sliced onion, the garlic cloves, and the rosemary sprigs around the beef.
Step 8 –Cover and cook the beef until it reaches 130 degrees F internally, about 2-4 hours.
Step 9 –Once the temperature of the meat reaches 100 degrees F, mix the flour and the sugar together in a medium bowl.
Step 10 –Whisk the vinegar and the mustard into the sugar mixture until there are no clumps.
Step 11 –Whisk in the beef stock.
Step 12 –Pour the beef stock mixture around the tenderloin, and cover to continue cooking so the tenderloin can reach 130 degrees F.
Step 13 –Once the tenderloin is 130 degrees F internally, transfer it from the slow cooker and cover it with foil.
Step 14 –Let the tenderloin rest for at least 10 minutes so the temperature can reach 135 degrees F internally.
Step 15 –Simmer the balsamic glaze until thick.
Step 16 –Remove the toothpicks and slice the tenderloin into thin rounds.
Step 17 –Serve with the balsamic glaze.
