Slow Cooked Beef Brisket (Printable)
Juicy beef brisket slow cooked and enriched with smoky, tangy barbecue sauce for delicious hearty meals.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Brisket
01 - 4 to 4.5 pounds beef brisket, trimmed
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
04 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
→ BBQ Sauce
09 - 1 1/2 cups ketchup
10 - 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
11 - 1/3 cup brown sugar
12 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
13 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
14 - 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
15 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
16 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
17 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
18 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Pat brisket dry with paper towels. Combine salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture evenly over entire surface of brisket.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear brisket on all sides until deeply browned, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side.
03 - Place seared brisket into slow cooker, fat side up if applicable.
04 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and sea salt until smooth and fully incorporated.
05 - Pour half of prepared BBQ sauce over brisket in slow cooker, reserving remaining sauce for serving. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until meat is fork-tender and shreds easily.
06 - Transfer cooked brisket to cutting board. Allow to rest for 10 minutes, then slice against the grain or shred with two forks.
07 - Skim excess fat from sauce remaining in slow cooker. Return sliced or shredded brisket to pot, tossing to coat with defatted sauce. Serve immediately with reserved BBQ sauce on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Your house will smell like a Texas smokehouse without you tending coals at 5am.
- The sauce comes together in the time it takes to find your whisk.
02 -
- Skipping the sear creates a gray, sad exterior no amount of sauce can save.
- The reserved sauce isnt optional decoration, its essential for people who want to control their own destiny.
03 -
- If your brisket comes out tough, it needed more time, not more heat, patience is the real ingredient.
- Honey swaps beautifully for brown sugar when you want floral notes against the smoke.