These Dr Pepper Steak Bites are bursting with bold flavor and couldn’t be easier to make! The soda tenderizes the steak while adding a sweet, savory glaze, perfect for a no-fuss dinner or appetizer.
Slow Cooker Dr Pepper Steak Bites
Dr Pepper is quickly becoming one of my favorite ingredients to cook with. It adds flavor and sweetness to a variety of dishes. In this case, it mixes with BBQ sauce and other ingredients like brown sugar and Worcestershire to create a sweet yet smoky and savory sauce mixture. This infuses so much flavor into each piece of steak. Plus, as the meat cooks in the slow cooker, it remains perfectly tender and juicy, so you get amazingly cooked steak every time.
Why You’ll Love These Dr Pepper Steak Bites
- They’re inexpensive to make. I love to make this recipe often because it’s super budget-friendly. If you like to stick to a tight budget but still want to make something super tasty, try these steak bites.
- Prep is quick and easy. It only takes a few minutes to get the ingredients prepared and ready to go into the crockpot. Then, the hardest part is waiting for them to be ready to eat!
- They pair well with any side. You can make any side dish with these Dr Pepper steak bites and still have a fabulous meal. From potatoes to macaroni and cheese to any veggie you like, it all works so well.
What You’ll Need
All of the ingredients needed to infuse flavor into the steak bites are listed below, including Dr Pepper and the other sauce components.
- Steak: You can use any cut of steak that you like! Some of my favorite varieties for this recipe are London broil, sirloin, and chuck roast.
- Dr Pepper: This is the star ingredient in this recipe! As it cooks down, it adds sweetness while it tenderizes the steak. It adds that unique yet recognizable Dr Pepper flavor.
- Honey and brown sugar: These are the sweeteners I chose to balance the savory ingredients. I like the combination of honey and brown sugar because the honey is slightly floral, and the brown sugar adds notes of molasses and caramel. They add layers of flavor!
- BBQ sauce: Use any brand and variety of BBQ sauce that you like. I love a good original, smoky BBQ sauce. I feel like it provides the most balance.
- Worcestershire sauce: This adds umami while cutting through the sweetness and richness. It complements the other components in the sauce well.
- Garlic: I add this for its sharp flavor and delicious aroma as it cooks. It enhances the other flavors of the sauce, too.
- Black pepper: The only seasoning I add here is black pepper because there’s plenty of flavor and salt in the other ingredients. It provides a delicate, spicy flavor that works well with the other ingredients.
- Cornstarch and water: I make a slurry to add towards the end of cooking time to help thicken the sauce so it clings to each steak bite. This is optional, but I feel like it makes the final result the perfect consistency.
How to Make Dr Pepper Steak Bites
Here are the directions to help you set up your slow cooker so you get to enjoy the most amazing Dr Pepper steak bites for dinner. It’s super quick and easy!
- Sear the steak. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle a little oil in the skillet and add the steak. Sear the steak bites for a few seconds on each side to get a brown crust. Pour them into the bottom of the crockpot.
- Make the sauce. Combine all of the other ingredients except the cornstarch and water in a mixing bowl. Whisk until they are well mixed and smooth. Then, pour it all over the steak bites.
- Cook. Cover the slow cooker and cook the steak bites on low for 4-6 hours or until tender.
- Make a slurry. Combine the cornstarch and water and stir it into the sauce to thicken it.
- Serve. Enjoy with your favorite side dish!
Tips for Success
Skip searing if desired. I like to get a lovely brown crust on the steak bites for depth of flavor, but they still turn out amazing if you decide to skip that step. Just ensure that they are fork-tender after 4 hours, or cook them a little longer until they reach that stage.
Cut the steak evenly. Ensure the steak pieces are uniform. This helps them all cook evenly. If you have smaller pieces, they will cook faster. Larger pieces will need more time to become tender.
Try diet soda. You may use diet or zero-sugar Dr Pepper soda in this recipe. I find that it doesn’t affect the flavor at all. You may even experiment and try another flavor variety, like cherry Dr Pepper.
Make it spicy. Change it up and make the sauce spicy! Add some of your favorite hot sauce, red pepper flakes, or diced chiles to incorporate some heat.
Proper Storage
Store leftover steak bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You may reheat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes per portion, or until warm. Be careful because they can dry out. Freeze the steak bites in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
More Dr Pepper Recipes to Try
- Dr Pepper Wings
- Dr Pepper Chili
- Dr Pepper Meatballs Recipe
- Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
- Cherry Dr Pepper Ribs Recipe
Dr Pepper Steak Bites
Ingredients
- 2 pounds steak cut into bite size pieces (sirloin, London broil, chuck roast or stew beef)
- 1 cup Dr. Pepper
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup bbq sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, sear the steak bites quickly just a few seconds on each side. You just want to get a little color on the outside.
- Add the steak bites to the slow cooker.
- In a mixing bowl combine the Dr. Pepper, honey, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and black pepper.
- Pour the sauce all over the steak bites.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until the steak bites are fork tender.
- If the sauce is too thin at the end of cooking, combine the water with the cornstarch and stir that into the sauce to thicken it up.
Last Step:
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2 comments on “Dr Pepper Steak Bites”
Is there anything else you can use instead of Dr Peooer
Hi Richard. You can substitute any other flavored soda you may prefer or use sparkling water.