Slow Cooker Pepper Steak for Full GAPS

Slow cooker pepper steak brings tender chuck roast, soft bell peppers, and red onions together in a savory tomato and coconut-aminos sauce. The onions go on the bottom, the raw beef goes in the middle, and the peppers sit on top. After about ten minutes of preparation, the covered slow cooker does the long part of the work.

I cook in the morning before leaving for second shift, so I appreciate having the hands-on part of dinner planned early. This recipe needs six hours on low, with a fork check at the end. Have the finished homemade chicken meat stock ready beforehand; making that ingredient is separate from this slow-cooker recipe.

Where This Fits on GAPS

This is a Full GAPS meal once its ingredients have been introduced and tolerated. Use plain coconut aminos with verified ingredients and pure tomato paste without non-GAPS additives. Keep soy sauce and tamari out of this version. The complete pepper-and-aminos combination is not an early Introduction Diet adaptation.

The measured ingredients contain no dairy, eggs, nuts, or grain. The homemade stock is an animal-only preparation. Check the coconut-aminos manufacturer’s ingredient information rather than assuming that every bottle or flavored blend has the same contents.

What You Need

• Two red onions: Peel and cut into wedges. They form the bottom layer and soften as the beef cooks.
• 1½ pounds chuck roast: Cut into similar bite-size pieces. Chuck is the cut used for this long, slow method; a lean quick-cooking steak is not a direct substitute.
• Three red, orange, or yellow bell peppers: Remove the cores and seeds, then cut the peppers into wedges.
• One cup finished homemade chicken meat stock: Measure stock already made from raw meaty chicken parts, rather than adding a stock cube or powder.
• ¼ cup plain coconut aminos: Choose a product whose full ingredient and manufacturer information fits Full GAPS, without non-GAPS additives.
• ¼ cup pure tomato paste: Use a plain product without sugar, starch, or other additives apart from salt. Concentrated paste is different from a cup-for-cup tomato sauce.
• Four garlic cloves: Mince them so the garlic mixes through the sauce.

Cold chuck is easier to cut neatly than warm, slippery meat. Keep the pieces close in size and leave the edible fat with the beef. You do not need to brown it in a separate pan for this recipe.

How to Make It

1. Layer the Onions, Beef, and Peppers

Put the onion wedges in the bottom of the slow cooker. Spread the raw chuck pieces over them, then add the bell pepper wedges. Keep that order instead of stirring everything together before the sauce goes in.

Use a cooker with enough room for this batch and follow its fill limits. The lid needs to close properly over the ingredients. The listed amounts make the whole recipe, rather than one person’s serving.

2. Mix the Sauce

Whisk the finished chicken meat stock, coconut aminos, tomato paste, and minced garlic together in a glass or stainless-steel bowl. Work the thick tomato paste into the liquid until no dense red clumps remain.

If your chilled meat stock has gelled, warm it gently until pourable before measuring the cup. Have it ready when you begin so you can combine the sauce without trying to whisk a firm block of stock.

3. Pour and Press Gently

Pour the sauce evenly over the layered meat and vegetables. Use the back of a spoon to press the chuck down into the liquid so the meat is moistened and sits beneath the sauce as much as the layers allow. Some pepper wedges can remain above it.

The starting sauce is one cup of stock plus the measured coconut aminos and tomato paste. The beef and vegetables release juices as they cook. Keep the listed quantities rather than filling the cooker with extra water.

4. Cover and Cook on Low

Close the lid and cook on low for six hours. Keep the lid on during the covered cooking time. At the end, test a piece of chuck with a fork: it should pull apart easily, and the pepper wedges should be soft rather than crisp.

If the beef still resists the fork, cover it again and continue on low until tender. The six-hour time gives you a plan; the fork check tells you whether this batch is ready. Stir gently when serving so the softened onions and sauce come up from the bottom.

Serving and Leftovers

Spoon the beef, peppers, onions, and sauce into bowls. The meat and vegetables make a complete dish on their own. A separately prepared cauliflower-rice side can go alongside if you already use one; no cauliflower or rice is included in this ingredient list.

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in covered shallow containers. Reheat only the portion you need until hot throughout, stirring so the center heats as well as the edges. Follow the separate meat-stock recipe for any unused stock still in its container.

Equipment That Helps

Use a slow cooker with a lid, a knife and cutting board, measuring cups, a glass or stainless-steel mixing bowl, a whisk, a spoon, and a fork for checking the meat.

Questions Before You Start

Should I Brown the Beef First?

No. The raw chuck goes between the onions and peppers. This method does not call for browning or an extra frying pan.

What If the Beef Is Still Firm After Six Hours?

Put the lid back on and give it more time on low. Check another piece with a fork before serving. Keep the same chuck cut and similar-size pieces; a different cut can behave differently.

Can I Use Tamari Instead of Coconut Aminos?

Keep the coconut-aminos option for this Full GAPS recipe. Tamari is soy-based, and gluten-free on its label does not make it the same ingredient. For coconut aminos, read the complete manufacturer information and choose a plain product without non-GAPS additives.

Why Is There So Little Sauce at the Start?

The onions, beef, and peppers give off moisture during the covered cook. Press the beef into the measured sauce before closing the lid. Some peppers can sit above the starting liquid; you do not need to add unmeasured stock or water to cover every pepper.

Can I Double the Recipe?

Yes. The card’s 2× control doubles all seven measured amounts: four onions, three pounds chuck, six peppers, two cups stock, half a cup each coconut aminos and tomato paste, and eight garlic cloves. Use enough cooker capacity or make separate batches. A larger batch does not mean doubling the cooking time; check the beef for tenderness.

Another Beef Dinner to Plan

For an oven-cooked meal on another day, try the sirloin tip roast beef. Keep chuck for this pepper-steak recipe and use the separate roast’s own cut and directions. The chicken meat stock can be prepared ahead for the measured sauce here.

Plan More Slow-Cooker Meals

The planned Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Cookbook is part of the WFLI catalog. Find current resources and upcoming offerings in the WFLI shop.