Beef Tips with Brown Gravy over Rice

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• 3 1/2 cups water, for the rice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, for the rice

Before you cook

• Trim the chuck of large fat pockets and cut it into inch-and-a-half cubes.
• Pat the cubes very dry and season them with the salt and pepper.
• Chop the onions and mince the garlic.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking.
2. Sear the beef in three batches for 5 minutes per batch, turning the cubes so they brown on at least two sides, then set them aside.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add the onions to the pot, cooking for 8 minutes and scraping the fond loose as they release moisture.
4. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
5. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for 2 minutes.
6. Pour in the beef broth while stirring, then add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaves.
7. Return the beef and any collected juices to the pot and bring it to a bare simmer.
8. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring twice, until the beef is completely tender.
9. Rinse the rice, combine it with the water and salt in a saucepan, and bring it to a boil.
10. Cover the rice, lower the heat, and cook it for 18 minutes, then let it stand off the heat for 5 minutes.
11. Discard the bay leaves, taste the gravy for salt, and ladle the beef tips over the fluffed rice.