Slow Cooked Beef Brisket (Printable version)
Tender beef brisket slow cooked with smoky, flavorful BBQ sauce and spices for a hearty dish.
# What you need:
→ Beef
01 - 3.3 lbs trimmed beef brisket
→ Spice Rub
02 - 1 tbsp smoked paprika
03 - 2 tsp garlic powder
04 - 2 tsp onion powder
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp dried thyme
07 - 1 tsp chili powder
08 - 1.5 tsp salt
09 - 1 tsp black pepper
→ BBQ Sauce
10 - 1 cup ketchup
11 - 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
12 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
13 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free optional)
14 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
15 - 1 tbsp smoked paprika
16 - 1 tsp garlic powder
17 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
18 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Cooking
19 - 1 large onion, sliced
20 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
21 - 1 cup beef stock
# How To:
01 - Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, dried thyme, chili powder, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Rub evenly over the brisket.
02 - Scatter sliced onion and minced garlic at the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the seasoned brisket on top.
03 - Whisk together ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour half the sauce over the brisket; reserve remaining sauce for serving.
04 - Pour beef stock around the brisket in the slow cooker, avoiding pouring over the meat.
05 - Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours until brisket is tender and easily shredded with a fork.
06 - Remove brisket carefully and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice or shred to preference.
07 - Skim excess fat from cooking juices. Optionally simmer juices in a saucepan to thicken and concentrate flavors.
08 - Serve the brisket with reserved BBQ sauce and reduced cooking juices as desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The meat becomes impossibly tender without any fuss—the slow cooker does nearly all the work while you go about your day.
- Homemade BBQ sauce tastes nothing like bottled, with just the right balance of tangy, smoky, and slightly sweet.
- It feeds a crowd and actually tastes better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or leftovers.
02 -
- Trim the fat cap to about ¼ inch—too much fat makes the dish greasy, but no fat makes it dry.
- Don't skip letting the brisket rest; it keeps the meat from shredding apart during slicing and locks in tenderness.
- Open the slow cooker lid as few times as possible; each time you do, you add 15-20 minutes to cooking time.
03 -
- Invest in a meat thermometer; the brisket is done when the thickest part reads 195°F, which is more reliable than guessing.
- Save the cooking liquid even if you don't reduce it—it makes an incredible beef gravy or soup base the next day.