Slow Cooker Orange Beef (Gluten Free, AIP-option)

This slow-cooker orange beef is easy and freezer friendly! This version is gluten-free, soy-free, and has added veggies.

If you love orange beef… same! It’s the perfect balance between sweet and savory, and it’s so easy to make at home. Luckily, it’s even easier to make in a slow cooker. We can even take it one step further with making it a freezer meal for this recipe! This recipe is also gluten-free, and easy to make AIP.

Why you’ll love this slow cooker orange beef

• It’s flavor-packed. It has all of the flavors you love about orange beef, but made with easy-to-use ingredients.
• It’s a great freezer meal. This recipe is just so easy on it’s own, and even better as a freezer meal!

The Ingredients for slow cooker orange beef

• Flank steak. Sirloin steak will also work!
• Coconut aminos, beef broth, and orange juice. This makes the sauce!
• Broccoli. You can use other vegetables like snap peas, cauliflower or carrots.
• Arrowroot starch. This thickens the sauce.

How to make orange beef and broccoli in the slow cooker

• Step one. Add the beef to the slow cooker and season then add the liquids. Add the beef to the base of the slow cooker and season well with coconut sugar, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, and ginger powder.

• Step two. Cook on low.
• Step there. Thick the broth and add the broccoli.

HOW TO TURN THIS INTO A FREEZER MEAL.

This recipe is part of my annual freezer meal week here on the blog, which is inspired by my past postpartum freezer prep journey! Here’s all you have to do…

• Add all of the ingredients for the orange beef (reserving the arrowroot) to a freezer bag. Add the broccoli to a separate bag. Optional to steam the broccoli ahead of time.
• Freeze flat in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• When ready to cook, transfer to the fridge and place it in a large container (like a casserole dish or a large bowl in case it leaks at all) to defrost.
• Once the meat is totally thawed, cook as directed.

A note about freezer bags

I don’t like using single-serve plastic bags. It’s ideal to use a reusable silicone bag for this recipe! The reason that I use plastic for my photos is that the silicone bags are very hard to see through, and don’t lend themselves well to photography… but I do indeed advocate for using usable as much as possible!  

Here are a few safety things to note about freezer meals…

• Never refreeze previously frozen food.
• Always wait until the meat is totally thawed before putting it in the slow cooker. This ensures that the meat stays at a food-safe temperature.

Tips & Tricks

• Add extra veggies. Carrots and snap peas would also be a great addition to this recipe.
• For better broccoli texture, blanch the broccoli first. This is how frozen vegetables at the store are made! Simply blanch them first and shock them with cold water before freezing.

CAN YOU ADAPT THIS RECIPE FOR THE INSTANT POT? WHAT ABOUT THE STOVETOP?

I have not tried this particular recipe in the instant pot. If you’re going to be freezing it beforehand, it may be challenging to dump it in the instant pot and set it and forget it. However, if the instant pot and slow cooker aren’t your things, I do have a very similar recipe that can be made on the stovetop, here!

What can you serve as a side with this recipe?

• Cauliflower rice. Always a good choice!
• Regular rice.
• Steamed or sauteed veggies.
• Noodles 

You’ll also like…

• Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
• Orange Chicken Meatballs
• Orange Chicken Stir Fry

Slow Cooker Orange Beef

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• Author: Michelle
• Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 lb flank steak, sliced thin against the grain
• 2 tsp coconut sugar
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• Salt and pepper (omit pepper for AIP)
• 2 tsp avocado oil
• 1/3 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tsp arrowroot starch
• 1 1/2 cup broccoli florets

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Instructions

1. Add the beef to the base of the slow cooker and season well with coconut sugar, salt, pepper, onion, garlic and ginger powder.
2. Top with avocado oil, coconut aminos, broth, and orange juice.
3. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.
4. 30 minutes before the cook-time is up, remove the lid and mix the arrowroot starch with a small amount of water. Whisk and add to the slow cooker along with the broccoli.
5. Once cooked, serve with a side like rice or cauliflower rice.

Notes

All nutritional information are estimations and will vary. Estimations do not include optional ingredients.

• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Category: Main Dishes
• Method: slow cooker

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 264
• Fat: 8.2g
• Carbohydrates: 20.6g
• Fiber: 1.3g
• Protein: 26g