Crockpot Brisket Recipe

CROCKPOT BRISKET INGREDIENTS

This slow cooker BBQ brisket truly is spectacular! Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

• Beef brisket: Trim the beef of any excess fat, rinse, and pat dry before using.
• Beef bouillon: Adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the BBQ brisket.
• Worcestershire sauce: You just need 2 tablespoons, but it really makes a difference to the brisket.
• Soy sauce: I recommend using reduced sodium soy sauce so you can control the amount of salt in this slow cooker brisket.
• Special spice rub: My homemade spice rub combines paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, and more. It’s incredibly flavorful!
• Homemade bbq sauce: If you’re going to take the time to cook an expensive cut of meat like brisket, you really should make your own BBQ sauce to go with it. Trust me on this one! My homemade BBQ has received hundreds rave reviews on my BBQ Ribs post and will convert you forever!

• If you can’t find blackberry preserves, I’ve had readers comment they have also used strawberry preserves, raspberry preserves, fig preserves and apple jam with success.
• You can use any brown sugar you have on hand – light, medium or dark.
• You can use granulated sugar or honey if that’s all you have on hand but, in this case, I would reduce the sugar by a tablespoon or two and add extra molasses in its place.  You can also use a blend of sweeteners.

How to Cook Brisket in Crock Pot

I love using my slow cooker during the holidays because not only does it free up the oven, but the results are wonderfully tender and every bit as delicious as oven results.  Let’s take a closer look with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

1. Making and serving beef brisket on the same day can be difficult, however, unless you plan ahead because the brisket requires a good 8-10 hours of cooking time.  That is why I like to prepare my brisket the day before.
2. To do this, we first make our brisket by rubbing it in our custom spice mix that elevates this BBQ beef brisket to restaurant quality.  The Spice Rub is an intoxicating blend of paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, chipotle powder, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper.  The rub is not too spicy, not too sweet, but just plain flavorful.
3. Next, we oven sear the beef brisket by simply baking it at 425 for 30 minutes.  This  seals in the spices/juices, renders some of the fat and adds a depth and complexity of flavor that can’t be achieved any other way.
4. Meanwhile, we whisk up our tantalizing homemade barbecue sauce that I first used in my Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs and my Crockpot  BBQ Chicken.  This Barbecue Sauce is a reader favorite and the “only barbecue sauce I will ever use,” according to many.  So while you can use your own bottled barbecue sauce, I highly recommend this version.  It is sweet and tangy and just right.

5. We add ½ cup of this barbecue sauce to our slow cooker along with 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce and 1 tablespoon beef bouillon.
6. Squish in our oven seared beef brisket and let it cruise on low for 8-10 hours until brisket is very tender, flipping over half way through cooking. If your brisket feels tough, it just need more time cooking – so cook on…
7. After your beef brisket is cooked, this is when I remove the slow cooker ceramic insert and refrigerate it with the brisket and all the juices for 1-3 days. Not only does the flavor improve, it becomes even more tender and makes prep the next day a snap.  When ready to serve, simply skim off the hardened fat then cook on low for 1-2 hours until warmed through.
8. At this point, you can serve as is, or I like to remove the brisket to a foil lined baking sheet and smother all over with our homemade barbecue sauce and broil for 5-10 minutes, until slightly caramelized which enhances the savory meaty, complex “nutty” flavor.
9. Your now fork tender, flavorful, juicy, rich Slow Cooker Brisket is ready to be sliced across the grain or shredded and slathered in tangy barbecue sauce.   The brisket can be served as is or piled high on a bun for the Best Beef Brisket Sandwich of. your. life.