Oven-Baked 4-Ingredient Beef Granville

This oven-baked Beef Granville is a simple, creamy beef casserole for cool evenings and potlucks. Beef pieces cook slowly in onion soup mix, condensed mushroom soup, and sour cream until the sauce is rich and the meat is tender. The basic dish calls for just four ingredients; egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes make easy accompaniments.

Finished Beef Granville casserole in a glass baking dish — The finished casserole is best served after a brief rest. A browned topping, as shown here, is optional and adds another ingredient.

What is Beef Granville?

Beef Granville is a baked beef-and-mushroom casserole built around pantry staples. Unlike a stovetop beef stew, the covered baking dish traps moisture as the beef cooks. A short uncovered finish thickens the sauce around the edges. It is hearty enough for a family dinner and easy to carry to a gathering.

Four ingredients

Beef, onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup and sour cream arranged in bowls — The four ingredients for the basic casserole.

2 pounds beef stew meat or sirloin tips: Cut larger pieces into similar bite-size chunks for even cooking.
1 packet dry onion soup mix: This seasons the sauce, so taste before adding any extra salt.
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup: Add it undiluted so the sauce stays thick.
1 cup sour cream: Stir it into the coating before the beef goes into the baking dish.

How to make oven-baked Beef Granville

1. Preheat and prepare the dish

Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch glass baking dish. Cut any especially large pieces of beef so they cook at about the same rate.

2. Coat the beef

Beef pieces being mixed with the creamy mushroom sauce in a bowl — Stir until every beef piece is coated with the sauce.

Put the beef in a large bowl. Add the dry onion soup mix, undiluted mushroom soup, and sour cream. Stir thoroughly, turning the beef from the bottom of the bowl, until no dry pockets of soup mix remain.

3. Fill the baking dish

Unbaked Beef Granville mixture spread in a glass casserole dish — Spread the coated beef into an even layer.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. Spread it evenly and scrape any sauce left in the bowl over the top. Cover the dish tightly with foil to hold in steam during the long bake.

4. Bake covered

Bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Carefully lift a corner of the foil away from you to avoid the steam, then test a piece of beef. It should be tender when pierced with a fork. If the beef is still firm, cover the dish again and continue baking, checking at 15-minute intervals.

5. Finish uncovered

Baked Beef Granville bubbling in its glass casserole dish — Uncover the casserole for the final 15–20 minutes.

Once the beef is tender, remove the foil. Bake for another 15–20 minutes until the sauce bubbles and the edges begin to brown. Watch the dish during this stage; a glass pan and different ovens can brown at different rates.

6. Rest and serve

Beef Granville served with egg noodles and green beans — Serve over noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice with a green vegetable.

Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before spooning it onto plates. The sauce will settle and cling to the beef. Egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice are useful for catching the sauce; green beans or a crisp salad balance the meal.

Variations & Tips

More mushroom flavor: Sauté 1 cup sliced mushrooms until they release their moisture, then add them to the beef mixture before baking. Make ahead: Assemble the casserole up to one day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Let it stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking, or allow a little more covered cooking time. Choose your beef: Sirloin tips tend to cook more evenly; stew meat may need extra time before it becomes tender. Keep the chunks similar in size. Crunchy potluck topping: During the final 15 minutes, add buttered breadcrumbs or crushed buttery crackers if you want a crisp top. For the melted topping seen in some photos, add a little shredded cheese during the uncovered finish. Either topping makes a variation with more than four ingredients.

Beef Granville variation with a golden buttery crumb topping — An optional crumb topping adds crunch to the four-ingredient base recipe.

Storage and reheating

Cool leftovers promptly, then refrigerate in a covered container for up to three to four days. Reheat portions gently until steaming hot throughout, adding a small splash of water if the sauce has become too thick. Freeze cooled portions for up to two months and thaw them in the refrigerator before reheating.

Oven-Baked 4-Ingredient Beef Granville — Recipe Card

Servings: 6 · Prep: about 15 minutes · Bake: about 1 hour 45 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes, plus extra time if needed · Rest: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 pounds beef stew meat or sirloin tips, cut into bite-size pieces
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream

Method

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch glass baking dish.
Mix beef, onion soup mix, undiluted mushroom soup, and sour cream in a large bowl until evenly coated.
Spread the mixture in the dish and cover tightly with foil.
Bake covered for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the beef is fork-tender. Continue covered baking if needed.
Remove foil and bake for 15–20 minutes more, until bubbling and lightly browned at the edges.
Rest for 10 minutes, then serve with your choice of side dish.

Tip: The cooking time depends on the cut and size of the beef. Tenderness is the best guide.