Perfectly tender and melt in your mouth Slow Cooker Beef Brisket is so easy to make, has the most incredible flavour and it's a great way to get the most out of this cut of beef. It's so juicy, and you need just 7 ingredients and 5 minutes prep time. This is a real crowd please, and great for batch cooking.
If I had to choose my favourite slow cooker beef recipe (please don't make me), this would definitely be in the top 3. Not just for the flavour and tenderness, but the simplicity too. It is classic comfort food, so satisfying, but versatile too. A delicious dump and leave slow cooker dish that is perfect for easy weeknight family meals, but also impressive enough to serve to guests.
Looking for some other slow cooker recipes to try? Why not try our Slow Cooker Chicken Korma, Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese, Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken or Slow Cooker Jacket Potatoes.
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What you will need
- Oil - We used a good quality olive oil to brown the meat in.
- Beef brisket - Brisket is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of beef. it is easily available in most supermarkets. If not, your local butcher should stock it.
- Stock - We used a beef stock pot, as it has the most intense flavour. Try to use the best quality stock that you can, as you really will be able to taste the difference.
- Salt and pepper - Season to taste.
- Worcestershire sauce - This adds a real depth of flavour and we wouldn't recommend skipping this ingredient.
- Onion - This is just used to flavour to stock (which can be used to make gravy)
- Garlic - Freshly crushed is best, however you could save time and use ready crushed in a jar.
- Thyme - Fresh thyme goes so well with beef. You could swap it for rosemary though if you prefer.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe carb below.
Step by step
One: Season the brisket joint all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a pan and add the seasoned meat. Brown on all sides, around 5 minutes.
Two: Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker bowl.
Three: Add the browned brisket and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.
Why should you try it?
- A delicious way to use brisket - If you haven't cooked brisket before, this is a fool-proof recipe. You could cook it in the oven, but there is a risk of it getting dry. There is no risk of that here, as it is incredibly tender and juicy.
- Easy - Just 7 ingredients and 5 minute prep time is all it takes. Although we definitely recommend browning the meat first, it is still such an easy recipe. The slow cooker does all the work!
- Versatile - There are so many ways that you can use this slow cooker beef brisket. With a roast dinner, in rolls with slaw, on top of mashed potato. We have lots of options below.
- Freezes well - This recipe makes 10 portions, so unless you are serving a lot of people, you are going to have a good amount of leftovers. But, that's okay because this freezes really well.
What is brisket?
Brisket is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of beef and it needs to be cooked slowly to break down the connective tissues, which make it tough without slow cooking. The great thing is, although it is cooked low and slow, until you can pull it apart with a fork, it still slices really well.
You can usually find brisket on menus in barbecue restaurants and it is usually fairly expensive. But, don't let that put you off making it, as you can make it go a long way.
Health benefits of beef
Beef can definitely play an important role in a balanced diet and using lean cuts is key for this. It can provide a lean source of protein, iron and eight essential vitamins and minerals. Beef is a significant provider of protein and is naturally low in sodium and contributes towards good health and wellbeing. Trim off any visible fat to make this lighter.
What to serve with Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
We love serving this as a roast dinner, with all the usual trimmings. Why not pair it with our Easy Roast Potatoes, Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli, Roasted Swede, Balsamic and Garlic Roasted Cauliflower or Mustard and Honey Roast Parsnips for a full on belly-busting roast!
A roast dinner isn't the only way to serve this slow cooker brisket though. It also make a delicious summer recipes, with plenty of salads on the side. Why not stuff the shredded brisket into some mini brioche rolls with our Homemade BBQ Sauce and then serve it on the side of our Chopped Blue Cheese Salad, Easy Lentil Salad, Little Gem Salad, or Cucumber Salad.
We also love it with mashed potatoes and slow cooker baked beans.
Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend cooking it on low for 8 hours. However you can cook it in your slow cooker on high for 6 hours. It will depend on your slow cooker and the size of your beef too. If your beef isn't falling apart then it isn't tender enough and it needs some extra time.
It will also keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, but it might start to get a bit dry.
Yes, this freezes really well. You can portion it out in to freezer bags and it will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
The best way to reheat this is in a pan with a little oil. It will only takes a couple of minutes.
There really is no rule here, just make sure that the beef you are using can fit in your slow cooker. We use a Crock Pot DuraCeramic Slow Cooker and we love it. What I love most about it is that you can put the bowl insert on the hob too, meaning you can brown meat, sauté vegetables or thicken gravy in it. I also love that it has a clear lid, as I am so impatient that I want to keep looking and seeing what it is doing. If you don't have a clear lid, then lifting it to see will release lots of the heat and add to the cooking time.
You don't have to, but if you have the time then it adds such a depth of flavour. Basically, you want to trigger the Maillard reaction. It is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavour. You don't have to though, and you can just throw everything in to the slow cooker and leave it if you are really short on time.
Yes, you can do some of the prep in advance. You can sear the meat and add it to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients and then allow it to cool fully and then put it in the fridge (in your slow cooker pot) for up to 24 hours. You can then put it on the next day, but it might take longer to cook from chilled.
This can easily be gluten free. Just make sure that the stock is gluten free and that there is no cross contamination.
Extra tips
- Slow cookers all cook things at different rates. You want to make sure that you don't overcook your beef as it will dry out. The beef is cooked when it easily shreds with a fork.
- Make sure you have a slow cooker big enough for the size meat you are cooking.
- For something different, but really easy, mix the beef with BBQ sauce rather than the stock.
- If there is a lot of juice in your slow cooker after you take the beef out to shred, then you might want to remove some of the mixture before putting the shredded meat back in.
- To add a richer flavour, you could add a splash of red wine. Swap 25ml of the beef stock for red wine.
- When slicing up the meat, make sure you are cutting it against the grain.
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 kg beef brisket joint
- 120 ml beef stock
- 4 pinch sea salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 onion sliced
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 5 sprig fresh thyme
Instructions
- Season the brisket joint all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a pan and add the seasoned meat. Brown on all sides, around 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker bowl.
- Add the browned brisket and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.
Notes
- Slow cookers all cook things at different rates. You want to make sure that you don't overcook your beef as it will dry out. The beef is cooked when it easily shreds with a fork.
- Make sure you have a slow cooker big enough for the size meat you are cooking.
- For something different, but really easy, mix the beef with BBQ sauce rather than the stock.
- If there is a lot of juice in your slow cooker after you take the beef out to shred, then you might want to remove some of the mixture before putting the shredded meat back in.
- To add a richer flavour, you could add a splash of red wine. Swap 25ml of the beef stock for red wine.
- When slicing up the meat, make sure you are cutting it against the grain.
Jess
Holy Moly, I am already drooling!
Heather
So simple to make and loved that it was made in the slow cooker! Everyone loved it!
Kate
Such a great way to make the brisket tender by cooking it in the slow cooker!
Sue
I've always shied away from cooking a beef brisket, due to it's reputation for toughness. But I can definitely see how a slow cooker is the best solution. Gonna give it a try!!!
Maria San Juan
I can feel like I can taste the beef while reading this! Thanks for sharing! Will definitely make this!
Mahy
This is what I call properly cooked beef. Love how tender it looks. Yum!
Dionne
I can literally feel how juicy the beef is just by looking at the images. I am hungry now!
Carrie Robinson
I just love a good brisket! I need to try this recipe soon. :)
Alisa Infanti
I can't wait to make this! My son has been asking for a brisket and I had no idea how until now. Thanks for sharing.
Joyce
Dinner has never been easier. I had some brisket in the freezer that needed to be used up, and this recipe was exactly what I needed. Thank you