Slow Cooker Beef Brisket (Print version)

Tender beef brisket cooked slowly in a rich, smoky barbecue sauce for flavorful, easy main dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Beef

01 - 3.3 pounds beef brisket, trimmed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Dry Rub

03 - 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
04 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
05 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
06 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
10 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin

→ BBQ Sauce

11 - 1½ cups smoky barbecue sauce (gluten-free if required)
12 - ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
13 - ¼ cup beef broth
14 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
15 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
16 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
17 - 2 tablespoons honey

→ To Serve (optional)

18 - Chopped fresh parsley
19 - Soft rolls or mashed potatoes
20 - Coleslaw

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat dry the brisket with paper towels and rub all over with olive oil.
02 - Combine all dry rub ingredients in a bowl and evenly coat the brisket, pressing the mixture gently to adhere.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the brisket on all sides until browned, approximately 4 minutes per side.
04 - Place the seared brisket into the slow cooker.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all BBQ sauce ingredients until homogeneous. Pour the sauce evenly over the brisket.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until brisket is tender and easily pierced with a fork.
07 - Remove the brisket to a cutting board, allow it to rest for 10 minutes, then slice or shred as preferred.
08 - Skim excess fat from the sauce in the cooker, spoon over the brisket, garnish with parsley, and serve with soft rolls, mashed potatoes, or coleslaw if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The brisket becomes so tender it practically falls apart at the touch of a fork, no knife skills required.
  • Your slow cooker does the real work while you're free to do literally anything else for eight hours.
  • That smoky BBQ sauce is the kind of thing people ask you to make again and again.
02 -
  • Patting the brisket dry is non-negotiable—wet meat won't brown, and browning is where the flavor magic happens.
  • Don't peek constantly; every time you lift the lid, heat escapes and cooking time creeps longer.
  • The sauce will reduce slightly as the meat cooks, so resist the urge to add more liquid at the start.
03 -
  • If you want extra smokiness without changing the whole sauce, add one to two teaspoons of liquid smoke directly to the sauce mixture.
  • Maple syrup swapped for honey gives everything an earthier sweetness that some people prefer over honey's brightness.

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