Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
This Slow Cooker Beef Brisket recipe uses a searing method, plenty of resting time, and your favorite BBQ sauce to deliver a tender, and tasty beef brisket you'll be excited to share.
Servings: 10 servings
Chef Alli
Ingredients
For the Brisket
- 4-5 pounds beef brisket trimmed of excess fat
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Beef Base Paste may substitute beef bouillon granules
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup your fav bottled barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced chipotles, optional may substitute chipotle sauce
- 1 tablespoon mesquite liquid smoke
For the Brisket Rub
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder or granulated onion
For the Brisket Sauce
- 2 cups your favorite barbecue sauce, we like Head Country Barbeue Sauce
- 1 tablespoon reserved spice rub from above
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven Pan for Searing. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet (like a jelly roll pan), with heavy-duty aluminum foil to make clean-up easier; reserve.
- Prepare the Slow Cooker. Spray a large slow cooker (6 quart or larger) very well with non-stick cooking spray. **If your brisket is too long to fit into the slow cooker, you can slice it in two so it will fit.
- Make the Spice Rub. In a medium bowl, combine all the spice rub ingredients; reserve one tablespoon for the barbecue sauce.
- Rub the Brisket. Using your fingertips, apply all the remaining prepared spice rub evenly over the meat then place the seasoned brisket onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Rest the Brisket. Allow the rubbed brisket to rest for one hour, uncovered, at room temperature. **Or place the brisket into the fridge for up to 24 hours to season at this point. The brisket will still need to rest at room temperature for one hour after this 24 hour marinating time before searing it.
- Preheat the oven. Place the oven rack into the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Sear the Brisket. Place the brisket into the oven for 30 minutes until the brisket is deep golden brown and nicely seared.
- Prepare the Sauce. Combine the bbq sauce with with the reserved tablespoon of spice rub.
- Prepare the Cooking Liquids in the Slow Cooker. To the greased slow cooker, add ½ cup barbecue sauce, along with the water, Worcestershire sauce, beef base paste, and soy sauce, whisking to combine. **The beef base paste will dissolve further as everything cooks.
- Transfer the Brisket. Carefully transfer the seared brisket to slow cooker, pressing it down into the liquids. Not all of it will be completely submerged. **Reserve the baking sheet to use once more.
- Slow Cook the Brisket. Cover the slow cooker and cook the brisket on low for 6-8 hours or until the brisket is very tender when tested with a fork. Turn the brisket over half way through the cooking time.
- Caramelize the Brisket. Remove the brisket from the slow cooker to the reserved foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the brisket liberally with barbecue sauce and broil 5-10 minutes, until nicely caramelized. **This step is optional, but sure make the brisket extra delicious.
- Rest and Slice the Brisket. Transfer the brisket to a large cutting board; tent with foil and allow the brisket to rest for 15 minutes. Carve the brisket across the grain into slices. Serve with remaining warm barbecue sauce, as desired.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD: I often will cook my brisket until tender then remove the removable ceramic insert and refrigerate the brisket in the juices. The next day, I skip off all the hardened fat then cook on LOW in the slow cooker for 1-2 hours until warmed through and proceed with recipe.
If you prefer shredded brisket instead of sliced brisket, remember it will be easier to shred while it's still warm. Once the brisket is fully cooked and tender, you can shred it right in the slow cooker. Use two forks, pulling them away from each other, until all the brisket is shredded, tossing it well with the meat juices that have accumulated in the slow cooker.
If you like sliced brisket better, cool the whole cooked brisket completely, then refrigrate it right in the juices. After it's fully chilled, it's much easier to skim off any hardened fat on top. Place the brisket onto a cutting board and carve it across the grain into slices. Return the slices to the juices in the slow cooker; reheat on low for 1-2 hours. Or, place the slices into a baking dish along with the juices and reheat in the oven at 200 degrees F. until warm throughout.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!