hnjThis slow cooker barbecue beef brisket is incredibly tender and flavorful! Enjoy as is or stack onto sandwiches. Prepare to fall in love!
Some days are crock pot days.
I’ve told you about my love/hate relationship with my slow cooker before, so I’ll spare you the deets on how I think some slow cooker recipes taste the same. I will say that if I had to pick my favorite things to crock-pot-it-up, it would be to slowly cook a big piece of meat. Not only does it get the job done, but for me… I like it because it frees me from my ancient oven and its obnoxious fan which gets on my very last nerve.
But what I love about this recipe is the smell of it cooking away throughout the day. I started the recipe before the sun went down and then plugged it in right before I went to bed {at 2 am} so that it would be ready for its photo shoot by 2 pm. Such a rough life. So by the time I woke up the smell of barbecued brisket was throughout my home, and at 6:30 am it’s a wonderful thing to wake up to.
This is truly a simple recipe. It’s basically a lot of measuring, stirring, rubbing and waiting and yes I took pictures of it all. But a beef brisket, slowly cooking in a quick barbecue sauce is totally worth every minute of the wait.
You’ll want to grab a large bowl or like I like to use… my grandmother-in-laws retro Fire King 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Love that thing! So go on and add in 1-1/2 cups ketchup. Store-bought or homemade, use what you want.
Throw in a half cup of packed dark brown sugar.
Pour in a half cup of water.
A 1/4 cup (I do a heaping quarter cup) of grated onion. Just pull out your box grater and start-a-grating.
Then pour in 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar…
…and Worcestershiretonville sauce. Sorry, that joke is probably getting old, right?
Worcestershire sauce. Here’s my homemade recipe! 😉
Mince up a chipotle pepper and add that into the sauce as well. This adds a kick, some smoke but nothing my nine-year-old can’t handle. 😉
Then measure and add in one teaspoon of garlic powder…
…and 3/4 teaspoon of coarse black pepper.
Give that a thorough whisking until the sugar has dissolved and the barbecue sauce is smooooth.
Then pour the barbecue sauce into your slow cooker.
Now we move on to the brisket rub, which means more measuring and mixing, hurrah!
In a bowl measure and add in the 1/4 cup of paprika.
Add 1 tablespoon of chili powder.
1 tablespoon of ground cumin.
And another 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar.
Add a tablespoon of kosher salt.
Thennnnn a teaspoon of cayenne pepper…
…a teaspoon of garlic powder…
…and a teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper.
Stir to combine…
Go on and lean in and take a good long whiff. Ahhhhh-ackkkkk-cough! Ha-ha jussst kidding.
Divide your beef brisket in half and dump the rub mixture over top.
Now prepare to get your super clean, just washed hands dirty by rubbing the rub mixture into the beef. Not all of it will stick to the brisket but just make sure all sides, top and bottom, are generously coated.
Put the seasoned brisket into the crock pot with the barbecue sauce.
Cover and set the temp to low and cook for 10-12 hours.
Once the time is up, remove the lid and take a gander at that beautiful beef.
Carefully remove the brisket to a cutting board. Carefully because it might fall apart.
Pour the sauce liquids from the slow cooker into a large bowl, let it hang out for about 30 minutes so the fat can rise to the top and in the meantime you can get going on the beef.
Trim off the top thick layer of fat.
That piece right there was my taste-testing piece, plus 8 more pieces but whatever.
First though, look at it. Can you EVEN believe I did this in a slow cooker? I. can. not.
Then go on and slice or shred up all that brisket.
The fat should now be floating on top of the sauce. Grab a a giant spoon and a separate bowl, start skimming the fat off the top and into the nearby bowl.
You can now do two things. You could place the shredded slow cooker barbecue beef brisket back into the slow cooker and add the sauce right over top and keep warm until you’re ready to serve. Orrr you cold place it into a bowl and spoon copious amounts of sauce over top and serve asap.
I made us sandwiches with shredded pieces slow cooker barbecue beef brisket piled high onto toasted rolls. I’ve shared the recipe in the printable below just in case you wanted it.
But this slow cooker barbecue beef brisket is so so good all on its own. It’s incredibly tender and flavorful, but that sauce… oh that sauce! The sauce keeps the beef moist and even more delicious.
Dinner is amazing. Leftovers are amazing. You’re amazing.
Enjoy! And if you give this Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Brisket recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
My cookbook Simply Scratch : 120 Wholesome Homemade Recipes Made Easy is now available! CLICK HERE for details and THANK YOU in advance!
Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Brisket
Ingredients
FOR THE BARBECUE SAUCE:
- 1½ cups ketchup
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup grated yellow onion
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE BRISKET:
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 5 pound beef brisket
FOR THE SANDWICHES:
- 8 crusty rolls, or hoagies
- 16 slices smoked provolone cheese
- 1 large sweet onion, sauteed until golden in olive oil
- pickled jalapeños, optional
Instructions
MAKE THE BARBECUE SAUCE:
- Combine the Ketchup, dark brown sugar, water, onion, minced chipotles, vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic powder and black pepper. Whisk until the brown sugar is dissolved and then pour it into the slow cooker.
MAKE FOR THE BRISKET:
- In a separate bowl combine 1/4 cup paprika, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, ground cumin, dark brown sugar and kosher salt. Then measure and add in a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, garlic powder and coarse black pepper.
- Slice the brisket in half and rub the entire thing with the seasoning. Drop it into your slow cooker with the barbecue sauce in the bottom, secure the lid and set your slow cooker to low and cook for 10-12 hours.
- Remove the brisket to a cutting board and either shred or slice.
- Pour the sauce from the crock-pot into a large bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Once the fats float to the top, use a spoon and skim it off and discard.
- Add the shredded beef brisket back into the crock-pot and the skimmed barbecue sauce and keep warm until ready to serve.
MAKE THE SANDWICHES:
- I toast 6-8 sturdy, crusty hoagie rolls under the broiler for a few minutes.
- Top with a heaping amount of saucy shredded beef brisket and a slice of smoked {or non smoked} provolone cheese. Place the sandwiches back under the broiler until the cheese has melted and then top the whole thing with sauteed onions and pickled jalapenos {if you want} and serve! Truly the onions make it work.
- And this barbecue beef brisket reheats beautifully and makes EXCELLENT leftovers!
Notes
[this post contains affiliate links.]
Buy the Cookbook: Simply Scratch : 120 Wholesome Homemade Recipes Made Easy Now available on Amazon »
THANK YOU in advance for your support!
i think you might just have nailed the ultimate brisket recipe here! my mind IS blown 😀 thanks for the recipe Laurie! Can’t wait to try it!
I love the crock pot. It’s great for slow cooking meats. What did you serve this with? It would great in a tortilla with some cole slaw.
Thanks for sharing the recipe. Those are amazing looking photos also.
Eric
Hi Eric! I actually made sandwiches with it {recipe in the printable :)} but you could totally serve this with greens, mac & cheese or just with a fork 😉
I’m going to need a brioche bun to go with this! Loverly.
Mmmmmm….I’ve been looking for a good slow cooker brisket recipe!! So making this, friend!
LOL My husband says the same thing…”everything tastes the same in a crockpot”
May have to try this anyway
This looks so delicious! Any tips on how to convert this recipe for a regular oven-braise for those of us (fools!) who don’t have a slow-cooker?
What cut of brisket did you use?
I love how tender meat becomes when it’s slow cooked – this beef looks insanely delicious!
There’s nothing better than a slow cooked hunk o’ beef. I love the addition of the chipotle in the bbq sauce. Pinned!
ok, we just got 1/2 cow delivered & packed in our freezer, so we need something to cook…and this is it!!! any more good beef recipes, just send them over…what is flap meat by the way???
I think flap meat {a totally unflattering name} is the from the bottom sirloin butt?? I think it’s similar to a skirt steak. We did the half a cow thing before and it lasted FOREVER! So jealous! 🙂
I love it when my inbox can read my mind! I needed for find a brisket recipe for our couple’s weekend getaway next weekend. This one is perfect!!
Delicious! Yum!
Great directions & photos of the step by step recipe…Next time I do do crock pot cooking this is definitely on my list..Thank You for the recipe
Do you think this would work with one of those countertop turkey roaster ovens, set on low? I want to do a bigger piece of brisket than my slow cooker can hold.
Honestly Adam I don’t know. I’m not sure if the lowest setting on your roaster would be as low as a slow cooker. Sorry I can’t help you more with this 🙂
Could I use this recipe to make pulled pork instead of beef brisket??
I really don’t see why not. Go for it and let me know how it works! The only thing is that pork might not take as long to cook as brisket so if I were you I’d look into that 🙂
Omg! I can’t wait to make this for my boyfriend and stepson! They will die!
Ha ha! Let me know how it goes Denise!
Fantastic recipe! We have tried many, this one was our favorite. Thanks!
I’m so glad! Thanks for coming back to comment
Looks great. Im cooking it overnight tonight so its ready for lunch. Thanks for the great and easy to follow recipe 🙂 I will let you know how it turns out tomorrow
Anyone tried freezing the leftovers ?
Great recipe! I just tried it out and the sauce is amazing! I get a meat share from a local farm so I didn’t have a choice of top or bottom brisket cut. Mine came out a little dry. I’m not sure if it’s from cooking too long (I did it for 10 hours overnight), not cooking long enough for all the fat to render, or if it’s because of my cut of meat. I laid the rubbed meat on top of the sauce in the crock pot. Was I supposed to cover the meat in the sauce?
Hi Flip! It’s really hard to say without being in the kitchen with you. But it sounds like you got the steps right so my guess was the cut and in which cooking it for 10+ hours may have over cooked it? Do you remember which cut you used?
I too am on the same mission as you. I ignore recipes that do not what I consider basic pantry stocking items. Some times I go months without shopping.
I agree with the separation of ketchup from basic pantry stocking items. I enjoy a variety of sauces, so it is easier for me to make my own, or when a recipe calls for ketchup I typically just add tomato sauce, vinegar and sweetener. I often fix my own BBQ sauce, more often than ketchup. And I like varying that recipes, trying different versions from around the country and world on different foods.
This also helps me stay healthier because the less store items I buy the less possibly toxic additives I ingest or ingredients I need to read.
So, I’m glad you did the ketchup recipe.
I have not looked through your blog yet, but I will. May I suggest you posting your pantry, include basics and options. Here is a small example.
Dried herbs: basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, dill.
My spice list is extending as I really enjoy curry, made from turmeric, just as chili powder is made from dried chilies, cumin (a seed) and paprika (just another chili pepper). So, I never buy taco seasoning and am about to cut out chili powder because I’m learning about different fresh and dried peppers to have on hand. Coriander seeds are cilantro. Chipotle is smoked jalapeno.
Thanks for the recipe.
Hey lady,
Happy 4th this weekend. I plan on making this and your potato salad recipe. Woooooooooooooo!
🙂
Jen
Yay! I hope it was a hit Jen! 🙂
I followed this recipe to the T this past weekend and it was DELICIOUS! We had brisket sandwiches for 4 days straight! Thanks for the recipe.
I believe this recipe is an exact duplicate of a recipe that ran in the Chow Blog on August 7, 2013. It was developed by Amy Wisniewski of the Chow test kitchen.
Shouldn’t it be credited to her?
Actually it is… on the bottom of the printable recipe. 🙂
Hi I love the way you laid this page out…it made it so easy and fun! I followed it to a T and it’s in the crockpot right now..I have that exact pot as in your pic (and love it!!) and put it in at 5 pm and set it for 10 hrs on low..it will switch to warm and it’s gonna smell like heaven when we get up. 😉 Brisket is the only meat that gets my goat on the bbq grill!
Update: Well, I have my “go-to” brisket method and recipe! It turned out perfect..looks just like the pics, and so flavorful!! I love the way it’s so tender and yet I could still cut across the grain and get perfect chunks for sandwiches. This delicious beef on toasted buns and a side of potato salad will be our football lunch today..can’t wait! Thanks so much!!
I made this the other day and it was FANTASTIC! My teenager even had thirds at lunchtime and then asked for it again for dinner.
The brisket I had was fairly thick so it took a bit longer to cook than stated. I ended up shredding it that night and then serving it the next day, when it tasted even better for having had a day for the flavors to meld.
Definitely my new go to brisket recipe and an instant family favorite!
All prepped and in the cooker here in London. Will let you know how it gets on. Everyone in the house is waiting impatiently……
Best brisket I’ve ever had, cooked it on high for 5 hours and it was falling apart tender, thanks for a great recipe!
I made this today and it was delicious! I added some honey to the sauce and a few more chipotle peppers (my husband loves the sweet/spicy thing) and it was so good!!
This recipe is amazing! The bbq sauce is deep and rich-the peppers make such a huge difference. I’ve made it twice now and it’s now my go to slow cooker recipe.
Hi Nouhad! I’m so glad you love it!
Love it!! I was working backwards from peach pie and cheesy cornbread which are perfect pairings. This the ideal mix of spicy and flavor but not too intense for the little ones. I made it yesterday and can’t wait to try the leftovers with the extra soak tomorrow!!
I’m so glad to hear it, Elizabeth! I personally think this recipe is even better the next day. Thanks for taking the time to make this recipe and leave such a stellar review!
This came out ridiculously tender! I have a nice big side-box smoker that I usually make brisket on, but thought I’d try this recipe out as I’m a big fan of my slow cooker too! The sauce is just right, and the rub adds that bark on the outside that lends so much to the flavor. We went with round buns, sliced pickles, and slaw for those that like it. I’ll make this again as it’s pretty much a set it and forget it operation.