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? 😝
Had an impromptu Christmas gathering and popped the brisket in the pressure cooker and finished it off on the bbq. We had it on rolls with coleslaw- it was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Thanks Nagi.
Have made this several times is really great, the sauce amazing I also add some extre chilli.
All my boys home for dinner ( rare and special) so made this in the oven. Didn’t have cayenne pepper so used a cayenne chilli. Amazing! Meat falling apart tender, those caramelised edge pieces and that sauce! I thought that there’d be loads of leftovers but just enough for one lucky luncher! Boys have asked for this to be a regular addition to menu. Served with coleslaw, steamed corn and roasted sweet potato. Thanks Nagi – another feed a crowd winner!
Looks great. Trying to make this low carb and cut the sugar. Could i use passata instead of ketchup?
If I use an Instant Pot, should it be on slow cook mode or pressure cook mode?
Thank you for a delicious recipe! I’ve made this several times. It worked great to do the slow cooker piece a day before Thanksgiving and then finish it off day of! I have shared this recipe many times!
Easy!
Amaaazing recipe!! I’ve made this many times and we always end up with leftover sauce! It’s terrific bbq sauce – any ideas what I can do with it?
Pork spare ribs smothered in the sauce & wrapped in parchment then foil & cook in the oven for about 2 hours. Serve with mash potato & steamed greens.
I’m planning on cooking this but am short on time, is it necessary to finish off in the oven ? I want to slice it not shred
Thanks
First time making brisket. This was very very good! I had a giant brisket that I cut up into big chunks. I was able to fit 3 pieces stacked into the crockpot. It cooked in about 8-9 hours on low. I did not double the sauce because I ran out of ketchup but we had enough sauce anyway. So delicious!
Really tasty, didn’t have ketchup so used banana ketchup! It turned out super! Thank you will make again.
Thanks, I have tried a few different BBQ brisket recipes but I keep coming back to this one.
Amazingly tender! My family was raving about this brisket – and it was so easy! We will definitely be making this one again.
Made this slow cooked beef for the second time and it is so delicious. Enjoyed by all. My son-in-law used two forks to shred it in the slow cooker. Served with traditional hamburger ingredients plus a tasty coleslaw.
This fabulous recipes has now become a family favourite especially for celebrations. The only one who doesn’t love this is my vegetarian daughter.
I usually cook it the day before required and let it go cold and then I easily skim the fat from the top of the sauce.
My only query is that I have noticed that in your cookbook the sauce quantities are doubled compared to this website recipe and this is the one I originally tried. The rest of the proportions seem the same. Is there a reason for this that I missed in your comments in the book?
It’s not a big deal just curious 🧐.
Hi. What would you recommend for a substitute if we don’t have mustard powder?
I just skipped the mustard powder altogether since I didn’t have any, the best sub is real mustard but that would compromise the rub since it’s meant to be dry! You won’t miss it lol, just adds more depth
Excellent and easy. My kind of meal!!
Looking forward to making this recipe this coming weekend. My only question is if I go with my own barbecue sauce, how much would I use ?
Thank you !
This is an easy way to cook a brisket. It tastes great and is always a hit when I serve it. I do use a grease separator on the liquid before cooking it down for the sauce, but I guess it depends on how well you trim the brisket before cooking. Thanks for the recipe Nagi.
Delish Dish 👍