Slow Cooker Beef Brisket (Print Version)
Tender beef brisket slow-cooked with vegetables in a rich, savory sauce for an easy family meal.
# What You'll 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 thick rounds
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 3 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
07 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
→ Sauce Components
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
# Steps:
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 on each side until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer the seared meat to the slow cooker.
03 - Arrange sliced onions, minced garlic, carrot pieces, and chopped celery in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the seared brisket on top of the vegetable bed.
04 - In a medium bowl, whisk together beef broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and dried thyme until the sugar dissolves completely.
05 - Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the brisket and vegetables. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW setting for 8 hours until the meat offers no resistance when pierced with a fork.
06 - Transfer the cooked brisket to a cutting board. Let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Slice the meat crosswise against the grain into thin strips.
07 - Skim any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Serve the sliced brisket alongside the tender vegetables, spooning the warmed sauce generously over each portion.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The meat becomes so tender you can cut it with a fork, literally melting in your mouth with each bite
- Set it in the morning and forget it until dinner, freeing up your entire day
- The sauce develops such depth that people will think you spent all day at the stove
02 -
- Searing the brisket might feel like an unnecessary extra step, but those browned bits create the foundation of flavor in the final sauce
- Letting the meat rest before slicing is crucial, otherwise all those beautiful juices will end up on your cutting board instead of in the sauce
03 -
- Position the brisket fat side up in the slow cooker so the melting fat bastes the meat as it cooks
- Avoid lifting the lid during cooking time, as each peek adds about 15 minutes to the cooking process