Slow Cooker Beef Brisket (Printable View)

Tender brisket with vegetables in a rich savory sauce

# What You Need:

→ Beef and Seasoning

01 - 3 lbs beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

04 - 2 large onions, sliced into rings
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 3 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
07 - 2 celery stalks, chopped

→ Sauce Ingredients

08 - 1 cup beef broth
09 - 1/2 cup ketchup
10 - 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
11 - 2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
12 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
13 - 2 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Rub kosher salt and black pepper evenly over all surfaces of the meat.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the brisket for 3 to 4 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer the seared meat to the slow cooker.
03 - Arrange the sliced onions, minced garlic, carrot pieces, and chopped celery around and underneath the brisket in the slow cooker insert.
04 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the beef broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and dried thyme until the sugar dissolves completely.
05 - Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the brisket and vegetables, ensuring some liquid reaches the bottom of the cooker.
06 - Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on LOW setting for 8 hours until the brisket is fork-tender and easily shreds.
07 - Carefully transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Let it rest for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Slice the meat against the grain into thin strips.
08 - Skim any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Serve the sliced brisket alongside the cooked vegetables. Spoon the remaining sauce over the meat before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce develops this incredible depth that you just cannot achieve with stove-top cooking
  • It is mostly hands-off time, leaving you free to relax while dinner cooks itself
02 -
  • Cutting against the grain is absolutely crucial or the meat will be tough despite being perfectly cooked
  • Resist the urge to peek during cooking as every time you lift the lid you add about 20 minutes to the cooking time
03 -
  • Let the butcher trim the fat but leave about 1/4 inch for moisture and flavor
  • If your brisket is too large to fit flat, curl it into a ring shape rather than folding it over

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