Crock Pot Brisket

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Flavorful, tender, and juicy, you'll love the ease of beef brisket in the Crock Pot!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword beef brisket crock pot, brisket in crock pot, crock pot brisket, crock pot brisket recipe, slow cooker brisket

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 4

Resting Time 15

Total Time 4 45

Servings people

Calories 522kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 (3 ½ - 4 lb. ) flat-cut beef brisket (about 1 ½ - 2 inches thick)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 cup beer (or sub with beef broth, Coke, or root beer)
½ cup bbq sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce)
1 medium yellow onion, cut into ½-inch thick slices
For serving: extra bbq sauce, sliced pickles, sandwich rolls

Instructions

Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
Trim excess fat from brisket, leaving a ¼-inch to ½-inch-thick layer. Pat dry with a paper towel; rub with salt and black pepper on both sides.
Coat a 12-14-inch cast iron skillet with oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add brisket; cook until browned, 3-5 minutes per side (adjust heat as needed). Place brisket in slow cooker (do not clean out the skillet).
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and red pepper; sprinkle on the brisket, turning to coat. Turn brisket fat side up. Pour bbq sauce and Worcestershire sauce around the sides of the brisket.
In the same cast iron skillet, cook onion over medium-high heat, just until browned (about 1-2 minutes per side). Transfer onion to the slow cooker. Add beer to the skillet and cook over low heat for about 1-2 minutes, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the beer and other drippings from the skillet into the slow cooker.
Cover and cook until tender, about 3-4 hours on HIGH or 6-8 hours on LOW. The meat should reach an internal temperature of about 195°F (just remember that the temperature will continue to rise as it rests, so you can pull it out of the slow cooker once it reaches about 185°F).
Place the brisket on a cutting board; let stand for 15 minutes. Slice brisket against the grain. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve on sandwich rolls with extra bbq sauce, the onions from the pot, and sliced pickles if desired.

Notes

Searing the brisket before putting it in the slow cooker adds nice color, the caramelized surface of the beef gives the dish rich flavor, and the browning process helps lock in the juices. The browned bits from the bottom of the skillet also add extra flavor to the cooking liquid. That said, you can certainly skip the browning step if you’re in a hurry, or if you just don’t want to wash an extra dish! Simply season the meat on all sides with the rub, place the brisket directly in the slow cooker, add the onions and liquid, and cook according to the recipe directions.

Don't be shy with the salt, pepper, and other seasoning. This is a big piece of meat, so it needs big flavor!

Every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature, so cooking times will vary. As a result, a meat thermometer is the best way to know when your brisket is done. Don't let it cook too long, or you'll end up with dry, chewy beef. Brisket will be tender and juicy when it reaches 195°F. Keep in mind that the temperature of the meat will continue to rise as it rests, so it's best to remove the brisket from the slow cooker when it reaches about 185-190°F.

Let the meat rest before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute so that they don't all run out onto your cutting board.

Slice the meat against the grain (perpendicular to the fiber lines that you see running through the meat). Cutting through the fibers shortens them, making the meat more tender and easier to chew.

Nutrition