This easy Slow Cooker Brisket comes out so tender and juicy. Hands-free recipe, simmers in tangy homemade BBQ sauce, and can even be doubled or tripled! Perfect for batch cooking, or serving a group!
I grew up in Texas, where cast iron skillet corn bread and beef brisket with extra BBQ sauce is an everyday thing.
Of course, I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed brisket until I moved to California… and then Georgia… and realized that few restaurants had brisket on their menu.
So I went out to find an awesome beef brisket recipe that reminded me of what I had growing up, with one small exception – I wasn’t going to stand at the grill for hours!
My slow cooker brisket fits this bill – tender, juicy beef that’s worthy enough to serve at any backyard BBQ!
Easy Slow Cooker Brisket
The first time I made this easy slow cooker brisket, I fell in love –
- It’s made in the slow cooker, meaning 99% hands-free
- The meat comes out soft, tender, and juicy
- The homemade BBQ sauce cooks alongside the meat
- Basic, simple, everyday ingredients (nothing fancy)
- Can be prepared the night before
- Can be doubled or tripled (as long as your slow cooker is big enough!)
Ingredients for my Slow Cooker Brisket Recipe with BBQ Sauce
The ingredients for my slow cooker brisket recipe are staples you’ll find in almost any pantry:
- Meat: beef brisket OR chuck roast
- Spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano
- Vegetables: onion, garlic
- Liquid: beef broth, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), ketchup
- Sauce-maker: cornstarch (or arrowroot powder), water
Beef brisket is NOT a cheap cut of meat, so I generally swap it out for chuck roast.
Chuck roast is much more affordable, plus it’s usually cut into a 3 pound roast… unlike brisket, which I couldn’t find for under 14 pounds!
Obviously the brisket won’t be EXACT, but if you’re going to shred it or even roughly slice the meat, you won’t even notice the difference with a chuck roast.
How to Make Beef Brisket Slow Cooker
- Mix the spices together in a mug or small bowl and rub the mixture all over the meat, on all sides.
- Layer the onion, then garlic, then meat in the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
- When the meat is done, remove it to a plate and turn the slow cooker on HIGH. Mix together the cornstarch and water and add to the liquid, stir and the sauce will thick.
- Slice the meat and serve with the sauce on top!
Do you have to brown beef before putting it in a slow cooker?
No – I’ve tested this recipe both browning the meat and skipping that step and the final result wasn’t much different. Save the time and skip browning the meat!
Why is my brisket tough in the slow cooker?
There’s always a chance meat will come out tough, thanks to tendons and such in the animal. However, your meat will more than likely soften if you cook it on LOW for a longer period of time. If you try to rush the brisket, you run the chance of it turning out tough.
What to serve with this beef brisket recipe slow cooker?
Other Easy Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili
- Thai Pineapple Vegetarian Curry
- Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
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This easy Slow Cooker Brisket comes out so tender and juicy. Hands-free recipe, simmers in tangy homemade BBQ sauce, and can even be doubled or tripled! Perfect for batch cooking, or serving a group!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 8 hrs
- Total Time: 8 hrs 10 mins
- Yield: Serves 4–6 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Slow cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 3 – 3 ½ lb beef brisket (not corned beef) OR chuck roast
- 1 tsp each: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 4 tsp)
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 cup beef broth
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
- 3 Tbsp water
Instructions
- In a mug or small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and dried oregano. Liberally rub the seasoning mix all over the roast. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce and ketchup.
- In the slow cooker, layer the onions and garlic. Pour the beef broth mixture over the onions and garlic. Place the roast on top and cook in LOW for 8 hours.
- When the meat is done, remove it from the slow cooker and turn the temperature up to HIGH.
- Combine the cornstarch and water in a small mug and whisk into the sauce in the slow cooker. The sauce will thicken after 2-3 minutes.
- Slice the roast against the grain, or shred with two forks, and serve with the sauce.
Keywords: slow cooker brisket
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