To-die-for Beef Brisket that really makes the most out of this cut of beef! This Slow Cooker brisket is cooked in a simple homemade BBQ sauce until it’s deliciously tender and infused with incredible flavour. Serve with a side of Coleslaw or Macaroni Salad and steamed corn. Or pile high onto rolls and make sliders!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Beef Brisket recipe!
I really am not a girls’ girl when it comes to food. I don’t gaze in wonder at stunningly decorated multi-tier cakes. I don’t ooh and aah over pretty little chocolates. I have no interest in learning how to make candy.
But I do go gah-gah over sights like this – a giant hunk of flavour loaded brisket.
I’m all class. All class. 😂
Cooking brisket – in brief
What is brisket? A cut of beef that needs to be cooked slowly to break down the connective tissues. The unique thing about this cut of beef is that it can be slow cooked so it’s fork tender, yet is still sliceable. It also has a better beefy flavour compared to other slow cooking beef cuts like chuck.
Is there another name for brisket? There’s no other name for raw brisket, that is the name of the cut. But you will see it sold in stores already prepared in the form of corned beef, pastrami and silverside which is brisket that’s been brined.
What cut of meat is similar to brisket? There is no cut of beef with the same cooking qualities. For this recipe, the best substitute for beef brisket is rolled chuck, like you use for Pot Roast. Otherwise, try the Beef Ribs or Pork Ribs version of this recipe – both terrific!
How long does it take to cook? 8 to 10 hours in the slow cooker on low, 1 hr 15 minutes in a pressure cooker, or 5 hours in the oven at 320F/160C.
Is brisket supposed to be pink? No. Cooked plain brisket should not be pink, if it is, it is massively undercooked and will be tough. You cannot eat brisket rare. HOWEVER, pastrami and corned beef are pink even after cooking due to the special curing salt they use (like bacon).
How to make slow cooker Beef Brisket
It’s a straight forward beef brisket recipe though there is a fairly long list of spices because we’re making a homemade rub and homemade BBQ Sauce here. Totally worth it – there’s no bottled sauce that compares to this!
Spice Mix – We start off with a spice rub. No need to marinate because we’re slow cooking it – the long cook time essentially has the same effect as marinating. If we were roasting it, I’d recommend marinating it.
Slow Cook – place the ingredients for the homemade BBQ Sauce in the slow cooker (vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and spices), add the beef and leave to slow cook for 8 to 10 hours.
Caramelise crust – After this, all that’s required is a few minutes in a hot oven (or even under the grill/broiler) to caramelise the crust;
Reduce sauce – Meanwhile, simmer the liquid in the slow cooker to reduce it down to a syrupy sauce consistency <– This right here is our homemade BBQ Sauce!
What is beef brisket?
Brisket is a cut of beef made for slow cooking, not fast cooking. It’s unique characteristic compared to other slow cooking cuts of beef is that it holds its shape even after hours and hours of slow cooking and can be sliced.
When you slow cook other cuts of slow cooking cuts of beef like chuck (like in Beef Stew), gravy beef (an Australian beef cut) and short ribs, they “fall apart easily because there is more connective tissues running throughout the meat which breakdown with slow cooking.
However, as you can see in the photos in this post, brisket holds together and can be sliced. But the slices are ultra tender and could be shredded easily, see? 🙂
Is brisket suitable for shredding?
Brisket does shred well, but I prefer using chuck beef or ribs for shredding for recipes like slow cooked Shredded Beef Ragu, Shredded Beef Chili and Shredded Mexican Beef.
Those cuts have more fat running through the meat and so the shredded pieces are nice and juicy. Though brisket has a layer of fat on the surface, there actually is not that much fat or connective tissues running through it, so if you shred it then it’s pretty lean.
What to serve with beef brisket
For this particular recipe, I’m keeping this Slow Cooker Beef Brisket whole and slicing it. Serve up a hearty Southern style supper with sides of Homemade Southern Style Baked Beans, Corn Bread (or try my favourite Corn Bread Muffins!), Creamy Corn Casserole, classic creamy Coleslaw or this No Mayo Coleslaw (it’s excellent!), Macaroni Salad, Potato Salad or mashed potato.
Or pile it onto sliders – this is the way I usually serve it because brisket is a perfect recipe for feeding a crowd! – Nagi xx
MORE GREAT THINGS TO PILE ONTO SLIDERS
• Slow Cooker Honey Buffalo Shredded Chicken
• Easy Homemade Pastrami
• Chili – and Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Chili
• Cubanos (Cuban Subs with Mojo Marinated Pork, from the “Chef” movie)
• Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Pork Sliders
PS If you love beef, don’t miss this Beef Pot Roast and Prime Rib / Standing Rib Roast recipes!
Watch How To Make It
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1.5 – 2 kg / 3 – 4 lb beef brisket (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or a neutral oil like vegetable, canola)
Rub:
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 3/4 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
BBQ Sauce:
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml ketchup
- 1/2 cup / 110g brown sugar , packed
- 2 tsp EACH black pepper, onion powder, mustard powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste re: spiciness)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Mix Rub ingredients. Rub all over brisket. If time permits, leave for 30 minutes – 24 hours in the fridge, but I rarely do this.
- Combine BBQ Sauce ingredients in a slow cooker. Mix then add the brisket – squish it in if needed, like I did (see video).
- Slow cook in slow cooker for 8 hours (1.5 kg / 3 lb) to 10 hours (2 kg / 4 lb). (Note 2 for pressure cooker and click here for oven)
- Remove brisket onto a tray.
- Pour liquid in slow cooker into a saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium high heat and reduce until it thickens to a syrup consistency (it thickens more as it cools).
- Meanwhile, drizzle brisket with oil then roast in a 200C/390F oven for 15 minutes until brown spots appear. Remove then baste generously with Sauce, then return to oven for 5 minutes. Remove and baste again, then return to oven for 5 – 10 minutes until it caramelises and looks like the photos. (See note for BBQ option)
- TO SERVE: Slice brisket thinly across the grain and serve with remaining BBQ Sauce. This is terrific served as a meal with sides or piled high onto rolls with Coleslaw as sliders. See Note 3 for more ideas.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Brisket recipe originally published July 2017. Updated to improve writing, and created separate recipe card for oven baked brisket directions. No change to recipe – much loved by readers as is, I wouldn’t dare!
Life Of Dozer
So. Much. Sand.
Anyone for a puppy kiss? 😝
Ron M says
I’m curious to know if the results for this recipe are equal as between slow cooking and pressure cooking. Obviously pressure cooking is faster. But, will I be sacrificing tenderness, moistness or some other metric of quality or deliciousness for speed by using a pressure cooker?
I am just curious to hear thoughts from people that have used both methods.
Also, I note that Daniel Gritzer of Serious Eats has also published (under two separate articles) both a slow-cooker/braising recipe as well as a pressure cooker recipe for brisket.
His braising recipe includes some excellent pointers
– in the pressure cooker recipe about low liquid levels; and
– in the braising recipe about thinly slicing the brisket (to increase surface ares) and returning it to the braising liquid to maintain moistness after cooking.
But, he doesn’t at all delve into quality differences as between the pressure cooker or slow cook/braise method.
So, I’m curious to hear from anyone who has tried both methods, especially in relation to Nagi’s recipe if they have any preferences for one over the other.
Sarah says
Meat was tender when I removed it from slow cooker, seems to have dried out a bit to much in my oven for the second cooking step, but will try again and maybe reduce the oven to just the first 15 min
siki says
Ca we also use this recipe for pork?
Tj Manna (woman) says
I made this and I thank you! It’s Amazing! I am a chef & own a bakery but I’ve never made brisket until now……. This recipe is my new fav! Thanks again for sharing a great recipe.
Tj Manna says
I meant to give 5 starts
Jess says
Lordy this was so delicious! My 1 year old absolutely devoured it (with the extra sauce 👌🏻). Will definitely make this again x
Steph G says
Nagi, this recipe for brisket is magnificent! (I knew before I cooked it that it was going to be good, because I couldn’t stop licking my fingers/the spoon when I mixed the BBQ sauce 😋!). I got a beautiful piece of meat and it has turned out tender and so flavourful. Yet another of your recipes that is going into the ‘keeper’ file. Cheers from Adelaide.
Ann-Marie Rice says
This is my husbands favourite recipie! We’ve cooked it many times. Some with chilli, some without! Always amazing! The kids love it too. A real crowd pleaser.
Christine says
Delicious. My partner said this is the best bbq sauce he’s ever had! Very happy with the results for my first time cooking brisket.
Crystal says
Hi Nagi, please help!! I am doing this amazing recipe for the 100th time (truely amazing) however I’m doing 12kgs in multiple slow cookers for a party. I saw you said to leave it after slow cooking it and try and do it on the day however I need alot ready and in the oven ‘warm/ ready to go’ on the day.
Do you have any suggestions??
Should I just leave it to the morning of and then just reduce, bake etc and then leave warm in oven for hour or two on low heat??
Thanks x crystal 😊
.Maria says
I made this today for a family bbq. It was a big hit! Easy and delicious. Will definitely make again.
Stuart says
My go to now. Simple and delicious
Jackie McDermott says
Hi Nagi I’ve made the slow cooker beef brisket but I’ve just noticed that I’ve put in 1 and half cups of apple cider vinegar instead of half. What can I do if anything to save the beef and bbq sauce 🤣😥
Liz says
Was very good! Will make this again!
Jim says
I have made this two times and it has been 5 stars both times. Your BBQ sauce is also delicious. If I want some BBQ sandwich’s this will be my go to recipe.
Carla says
An absolutely amazingly tasty dish, with very little fuss.
Jenna says
My new favourite slow cooker recipe!! This was absolute perfection. The flavours are delicious and the beef was cooked perfectly. Can’t wait to have the leftovers tomorrow!
Lynn says
This is the first recipe I have tried from this site. It was AMAZING. My husband was really impressed with everything, especially the BBQ sauce, I had a 2lb 10oz brisket on hand. I did the crockpot for 9 hours and then charred it up on the grill a bit. The short/tip end of the brisket was fall apart done so next time if the brisket is the same size I might dial back the time an hour or so. Either way it was amazing and I am looking forward to making this again!
David Hayes says
I made the slow cooker briskit recipe today turned out great. Did make 2 changes. I added liquid smoke and a few teaspoons of regular sugar to knock down some of the vinegar taste. I’ll be eating this for days!! Also marinated cucumbers and onions in red wine vinegar, sugar and water to go with it. Good with just onions and dill pickles also, that’s Texas style.
Cathy says
Hi I have a question. Can you use this recipe on a salt and pepper seasoned brisket? I bought a brisket thats already seasoned with salt and pepper. But your recipe sounds so good I wanted to try it. But not sure if I could since my brisket already has the salt and pepper. Thanks,
Trish Percy says
We had this tonight with potato/pumpkin garlic mash and veg. It was very good but next time I will cut some of the fat off the brisket and not add sugar to the sauce, just the rub as it was a bit too sweet for us.