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Home Beef Recipes

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce

By:Nagi
Published:18 May '18Updated:11 Oct '22
1,420 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

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 - Close up of ultra tender Beef Brisket slices with BBQ Sauce.

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. 😂

Overhead photo of Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket

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).

Beef Brisket ready to be cooked

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!

How to make Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket

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? 🙂

Two forks shredded slices of Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce, showing how tender the flesh is.
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.

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce on sliders on a white plate, ready to be eaten

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!

Overhead photo of Slow Cooked Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce

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!

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Overhead photo of Slow Cooked Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce

Author: Nagi
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 10 hrs
Total: 10 hrs 15 mins
Mains
American, Southern
4.97 from 419 votes
Servings8 – 10 people
Tap or hover to scale
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Video above. Beef brisket slow cooked until tender, then finished in the oven to get that gorgeous caramelisation, basted with a homemade BBQ Sauce that the brisket is cooked in. Slice it and serve as part of a hearty Southern style supper or pile it up high on sliders!

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:

1. Beef – This recipe will work on any slow cooking cut of beef but it works best with brisket because it holds its shape once slow cooked until tender, so it can be sliced. See post for more info. Best sub is chuck beef roast that’s rolled and tied. 
AUSTRALIA: Best to get it from a butcher so you can ask for a thick cut which is best. Woolies and Aldi sell rolled brisket which is thinner. Harris Farms also sells brisket but they are small pieces. Recipe will work for these, see notes below for cook times for different weights.
2a). Cook time – The cook times provided yields a tender brisket that is sliceable but tender so the slices tear easily, as demonstrated in the video. Don’t stress too much about cook time – brisket is a cut of beef that holds together pretty well even cooked to the point of being shreddable. So even a 1.5kg / 3 lb brisket slow cooked for 10 hours should still be sliceable. Brisket that isn’t tender is tough and chewy but if you pull it out too early, don’t worry, just keep cooking!
SLOW COOKER on HIGH: Same recipe, 4.5 hours for 1.5 kg / 3 lb or 5 hours for 2 kg / 4 lb. Follow same directions.
PRESSURE COOKER: Same recipe, 1 hr 15 minutes for 1.5 kg / 3 lb or 1 hr 30 minutes for 2 kg / 4 lb. Follow same directions. If you’ve got an Instant Pot, add 1 cup water (otherwise you get the burn notice) and might need to reduce sauce slightly at end. Natural release, or wait 15 minutes then quick release
OVEN: Click here for directions.
2b) DIFFERENT SIZES: For a 800g – 1 kg / 1.6 – 2 lb piece of brisket, I would still slow cook for 7 to 8 hours on low because the cook time is more about brisket width rather than length. 
For a 2.5 – 3 kg / 5 – 6 lb brisket, I would slow cook for 10 hours on low.
3. How to serve – See in post for what to serve this with. For Sliders, I use soft rolls (brioche buns are pictured in the post) with Coleslaw (or try this No Mayo Coleslaw – it’s excellent!)
4. Finish on BBQ: fantastic chargrilled flavour: Brush grills with oil, then preheat BBQ to medium. Place beef on the grills and leave until browned, then turn the beef over and brown the other side. Baste the beef generously and turn, then baste again. Do this repeatedly until there is a nice caramelised glaze on the brisket, then remove.
5. MAKE AHEAD: Slow cook the brisket but do not bake, then transfer into a storage container with the cooking liquid (don’t reduce it down) and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, transfer brisket only into a baking dish and cover. Bake at 180C/350F for 20 minutes or until warmed through. Then turn up oven to 200C/390F, remove cover and proceed with recipe to brown and baste the brisket surface. Transfer sauce into saucepan and warm – you may not need to reduce. Use for basting per recipe.
6. SERVINGS: I usually budget for 250g/8oz of raw meat per head, to err on the side of caution. This shrinks to about 200g / 6.5 oz per head once cooked. That’s a generous pile on rolls!
7. Nutrition per serving, assuming a 2 kg / 4 lb beef brisket with some fat on the surface (i.e. not trimmed of all fat), 10 servings, assuming all the sauce is consumed.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 269gCalories: 476cal (24%)Carbohydrates: 24g (8%)Protein: 66g (132%)Fat: 14g (22%)Saturated Fat: 5.6g (35%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 7.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.7gCholesterol: 198mg (66%)Sodium: 756mg (33%)Potassium: 824mg (24%)Fiber: 0.6g (3%)Sugar: 20g (22%)Vitamin A: 550IU (11%)Vitamin C: 3.1mg (4%)Calcium: 10mg (1%)Iron: 6.5mg (36%)
Keywords: beef brisket, Brisket, Slow Cooker Brisket
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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!

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1,420 Comments

  1. Carla says

    August 28, 2022 at 7:54 pm

    5 stars
    An absolutely amazingly tasty dish, with very little fuss.

    Reply
  2. Naomi says

    July 24, 2022 at 7:17 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious as always, really appricied the technique details. I used Bundaberg Smokey bourbon BBQ sauce, looking forward to making the full recipe next time.

    Any tips for how to reheat leftovers when you aren’t serving a crowd? Should I have split into meal sized portions at step 4 to put away for another meal?

    Reply
  3. TR says

    July 24, 2022 at 11:12 am

    4 stars
    I was unsure about his recipe due to the amount of spices. Definitely too much pepper for me and i’d at least cut it in half next time as I found it overpowering. The meat was nice and fork tender after I scraped off the layer of fat.

    Reply
  4. Christina says

    July 17, 2022 at 4:21 am

    I’m not sure what I did wrong or if ingredients are different here in the U.K., but mine smelled of vinegar and not in the slightest bit like bbq sauce. Perhaps my meat was off. Gutted as the joint was nearly £10

    Reply
  5. Madi says

    July 16, 2022 at 8:00 am

    5 stars
    Nagi, as usual, your food was absolutely to die for!
    I cooked for an extra hour and skipped the broiling stage, opting to pull the brisket instead of slicing it for my BBQ and served it with coleslaw on brioche buns. It went down a treat, I got so many compliments comparing it to restaurant quality.
    I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes!

    Reply
  6. Carol goldie says

    June 17, 2022 at 7:37 am

    can you use store bought BBQ sauce or is the flavor different?

    Reply
    • Madi says

      July 16, 2022 at 8:02 am

      The flavour is different, much richer and not as sickly sweet. It’s a lot of effort, but absolutely worth it!

      Reply
  7. Ivy says

    June 16, 2022 at 6:27 am

    5 stars
    I made this and added two teaspoons of liquid smoke and a half cup of bourbon. It was sooooo good and super tender. Definitely a do it again recipe.

    Reply
  8. Carol goldie says

    June 16, 2022 at 2:53 am

    Can i use Dry chopped Onion instead of powder.

    Reply
  9. Denise davies says

    June 15, 2022 at 11:01 pm

    Will it hurt my pot if I use tin foil at the bottom of my sear and cook slow cooker. One of your recipes says to. The lemon chicken recipe. Thought it had to have liquid at all times in pot

    Reply
  10. Chris Kiefer says

    June 13, 2022 at 12:41 pm

    I so wanted this to be good, but as the recipe is written – WAY too salty and inedible (and a complete waste of an expensive piece of beef). I might make it again, but will definitely cut back on the salt.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 16, 2022 at 7:08 pm

      Chris… you didn’t use brined brisket did you?? Because the level of salt in this recipe, there is no way it’s way too salty. This is going in my cookbook and I tested it repeatedly, AND I had independent testers making it too. So I know the salt level is right! 🙂 N x

      Reply
    • Paul Dunn says

      July 26, 2022 at 6:38 pm

      I am convinced you used the wrong cut or got your seasoning measurements all wrong Chris. I actually seasoned this a little more at the end. It’s not salty at all. I reckon someone has sabotaged you from making the best brisket bro!!!

      Reply
      • Liz says

        December 7, 2022 at 4:58 am

        Maybe the wrong cut…it happens. Once I was rushing and instead of buying a brisket I grabbed corned beef brisket 😵‍💫. Never tried it before that and it was extremely salty, even after rinsing in cold water several times.

        Reply
  11. Zee says

    June 13, 2022 at 9:33 am

    5 stars
    Wow! I made for dinner today and it was delicious, my family loved it!!Never had brisket before but I will be making it often. Thank you for such a good recipe, I have also tried other recipes from your website and they have all turned out 5star.

    Reply
  12. Pamela says

    June 8, 2022 at 3:21 am

    Hi there, I have a two part question? Does the brisket need to be completely covered with liquid and can I smoke it first on the grill for a bit to get the smoky flavour and finish it in my slow cooker?

    Reply
  13. Pamela says

    June 8, 2022 at 12:19 am

    Hi there, two part question. Should the brisket be completely covered with liquid and can we smoke it on the bbq for a few minutes before putting it in the slow cooker? Thanks and looking forward to trying this.

    Reply
  14. Lisa says

    June 7, 2022 at 12:14 pm

    Hi, I am going to be trying this recipe in a camp oven this weekend. Can I pre-make the bbq sauce part 2 days ahead? It will be more convenient for me.

    Reply
  15. Kristin says

    June 6, 2022 at 5:03 am

    5 stars
    Holy cow! This is so darn delicious!!! I’m so grateful to have such an amazingly flavorful recipe to make in my own kitchen with ingredient quality I can control. This is a recipe to pass down and share with friends and family. Thank you Nagi!

    Reply
  16. Jamie says

    May 28, 2022 at 1:03 am

    5 stars
    Hey, I made your pulled pork last week, and made this this week! Both amazing!
    I was wondering if it is possible to cook this one like the pulled pork? In for 8 hours with a can of beer, and make the sauce separate? Would that not work?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 28, 2022 at 11:52 am

      I haven’t tested that this way Jamie but it could work. You might need a bit longer than that depending on the size of the brisket. N x

      Reply
  17. Kel says

    May 22, 2022 at 4:47 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious! First time cooking brisket! Our bbq sauce didn’t thicken…. No fault to the recipe. We brought the meat from the butcher but it was pretty fatty! Hard to thicken hot fat! Still the flavour was beautiful, served on brioche buns with coleslaw. Was loved by all. Thank you!

    Reply
  18. Jo B says

    May 20, 2022 at 9:22 am

    I’m a little confused using the oven roasting directions since I don’t have a slow cooker. #5 and #6 doesn’t specify what is being roasted/caramelised and for how long. The directions says this will take 10 hours and 15 min yet I will be trying to oven bake it in 4 hours…? Help…

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 20, 2022 at 1:50 pm

      Hi Jo – you are correct, the oven roasting time is 4 hours plus prep, not the 10 hours (that was the slow cooker time). Steps 5 and 6 were accidentally reversed, you are caramelising the brisket after it cooks to get a nice crust on it for 10-15 minutes. I hope that helps and I will fix up the recipe online! N x

      Reply
  19. Patty says

    May 14, 2022 at 11:50 pm

    Hi Nagi,
    This is the first time making this and I used the crock pot. It’s done cooking, but mine brisket has a lot of fat on top. Should I cut the fat off before putting in oven later?
    Thank you,
    Patty

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 15, 2022 at 5:45 pm

      You can trim off that fat if you like Patty. N x

      Reply
  20. Luciano says

    May 12, 2022 at 9:25 am

    5 stars
    I made the Brisket for the first time following your recipe.
    It turned out so good.
    I had everyone wanting more after it was all gone.
    Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 12, 2022 at 2:11 pm

      That’s great Luciano! I am happy you liked it! N x

      Reply
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